Harry Potter and the Lucky Rabbit
by bunniehoney
Summary: When Harry and the gang return for their fifth year, a new student has arrived. What does this new girl have to do with all the sudden pranking around Hogwarts? And is there a deeper, darker secret being hidden? Read on to find out this and more...
1. A Party

Okay, readers.....I know what you are thinking (yes, I can read your minds, MUAHAHAHHAHAHAHA) but, seriously. You're thinking that this is just going to be another stupid crossover between Harry Potter and Sailor Moon. WELL YOU ARE WRONG!! This will be a really serious one.....and I promise to make it better as I go along, provided that people actually read and review this so that I can make the imrovements. I don't care if you flame me or praise me as a literary god, as long as I know that people out there care about what I have to say! Thank You, and enjoy the first chapter....while you still can......MUAHAHAHHA *clears throat* sorry about that......oh, and by the way, this is about Harry and the gang in their fifth year. I understand that the book will come out soon, and will be in no way like the story that I am writing now, but hey, it's my fan fic, deal with it!  
  
AN: Harry Potter and the gang: not mine........Hogwarts: not mine.......The plot: mine, and PRICELESS!  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
"Wake up, you nasty little git, and get breakfast started! I want everything to be absolutely perfect for my Duddy's birthday!" yelled a harsh voice from the other side of the door. Harry opened his eyes and saw that it was still very dark. It wasn't even dawn yet. He covered his head with the pillow. Light footsteps signalled that Aunt Petunia was leaving.  
  
Harry groaned, and got up from his squished in bed, inherited from Dudley, who had apparently left a permanent "dent" in the mattress, if you could call what looked like a cave-in a dent. Harry grabbed his glasses and shoved them on. He still wasn't able to see, it was so dark. He shuffled across the room and opened the closet, which was filled with mostly old, baggy clothes, also inherited from the great Dudley himself. He pulled on some baggy jeans that looked about 10 sizes too big for his thin body, and also a shirt that made him look like the Incredible Shrinking Man.  
  
Harry walked down the stairs, barely awake. Halfway down, he tripped and tumbled the rest of the way. Sprawled on the floor, he wondered, What's the point? Maybe I should've just stayed in bed. He lay there for only a few seconds, thinking about this, when Aunt Petunia found him and gave him a swift kick to the side, ordering him to get up to cook.  
  
He made his way, mostly by feel since it was still pitch dark to the kitchen. Looking at the microwave, he found out that it was still 4 o' clock in the morning. He made the usual breakfast of several dozen pancakes, sausages, and eggs for the rest of the family. As soon as Dudley had come home, his mother had taken pity on him, declaring that he was "much too skinny." Dudley had lost weight at Smeltings because of the nutritionist hired especially to care for his diet. Watched like a hawk, he was restrained to eating only fruit and vegetables. Uncle Vernon declared that Dudley looked like a telephone pole, and ordered at once that Dudley be fed more, at least during his summer vacation. Harry didn't see the point to this, because Dudley still took up nearly a whole couch when the Dursleys would have their TV time. Yet, Aunt Petunia insisted on feeding him more.  
  
Finished with making breakfast, Harry grabbed some bread and cheese and snuck back upstairs. He glanced around his room, a shabby little space given to him only when Uncle Vernon felt that moving Harry would stop some mysterious letters from coming so long ago. Rubbing his forehead, Harry made his way towards Hedwig's cage, where the snowy white owl was sleeping, with its head tucked under one wing. Not wanting to disturb her, he slip some of his bread in between the bars of the cage, then ate the rest himself. He looked out of the window to see the sun rising over the horizon. Brilliant colors of gold, orange, red, and violet melted together in this beautiful landscape, as Harry sighed and lifted up a loose floorboard underneath his bed.  
  
He knelt down to pick up the last of his homework, an assignment for the History of Magic, taught by the monotone Professor Binns. Binns had assigned the class to do an essay on other kinds of magical people in history. It had to be at least 5 feet long. Harry was nearly finished with his, and had already covered leprechauns and their history in Ireland, genies living in magic lamps in the early Middle East, witch doctors from Africa, and dragons from the Far East. All he had left to do was a couple of inches on the most recent magic people, although the least credible: the psychics from America. He dipped his quill into an inkwell and scribbled furiously, and finished as the sun started to shine brightly from the sky. Harry added a last period, and smiled at his work, until he noticed that these last few lines that he had written were disappearing. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he realized that he had been writing with some joke ink that was formulated to disappear, sent to him compliments of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, a shop that he had funded himself. No problem, Harry thought to himself. It was only the last paragraph. So, he got out the real ink, and rewrote what he could remember, then rolled up the parchment and tucked it back underneath the floorboard. Harry got up and walked to the window, stretching his arms.  
  
"Now for the important part," he said to nobody in particular. "I need to fix my social life and survive a possible attack from the most powerful Dark wizard of all time. Piece of cake." It was now daylight, and downstairs, the Dursley family seemed to have finished their breakfast and gone to watch TV. Harry said goodbye to Hedwig, who was now awake and happily eating her bread, and headed downstairs to the living room. There, Dudley was plopped on the couch as usual, watching cartoons, as his parents were busy decorating for the big soiree. Uncle Vernon, who was busy stringing crepe paper across the room, caught sight of Harry, as he entered.  
  
"See here, young man!" he said, getting down from the ladder. "You are not going to ruin my perfect son's fifteenth birthday, you hear me? That means no talking about anything of your world, or your school, or you'll never see the light of day again!" Dudley delighted in seeing Uncle Vernon rip Harry to shreds, as Harry cowered in the large shadow of him.  
  
"Mommy!" Dudley cried out fakingly. "I don't want him ruining my party! He'll drive all the girls away with his ugliness!"  
  
"Don't worry, Duddy!" she said, swooping down on him like a mother hen to her chick. "Vernon, do something about it!" Aunt Petunia tried to wrap her thin arms around Dudley to console him, but couldn't get the halfway around his body.  
  
Uncle Vernon glowed with anger, as if he were already thinking the worst. "You stay away from those girls, Harry! In fact, stay away from the rest of the guests completely! If I catch you conversing with someone..." Uncle Vernon drew his finger across his own throat, making a swift sound. "Get the picture?"  
  
"Yes, sir," said Harry reluctantly. It's not like he had wanted to talk to any of the horrible relatives of the Dursleys, or the bullying friends of Dudley anyhow. Harry just stood in the doorway to the room, as his menacing aunt and uncle finished the decorations. It looked more like a kiddie party to Harry than anything else. Was Dudley turning 5 or 15? Then, his aunt and uncle started getting ready to leave.  
  
"We'll be back, Duddums," said Aunt Petunia, kissing Dudley on his plump cheek.  
  
"Yes, we're just picking up the DJ....it seems that his car has broken down," said Uncle Vernon, casting Harry the evil eye as if he was responsible for the destruction of a car.  
  
"Mom! Don't leave me with HIM!" squealed Dudley pathetically, pointing at Harry.  
  
"Nonsense. You know that he isn't allowed to do....." Uncle Vernon swallowed down hard, but the others knew what he was going to say.  
  
"Okay then. Me and Harry will have a wonderful time!" he said, smiling evilly. His parents departed, and wouldn't return until the party was about to start, leaving 2 hours for Dudley to torture Harry. He chased Harry around the house, but couldn't quite keep up with the fast little Quidditch seeker. Harry could merely walk, without breaking a sweat, and Dudley wouldn't have been able to catch him running. Dudley became all tired out, gave Harry a dirty look, and sat right back down at the couch to watch more TV.  
  
Harry grinned, and sat down in a chair quite far away from Dudley's couch, but just far enough to watch what was on. Suddenly, there appeared on TV a family much worse than that of the Dursleys: the Osbournes. Harry watched in awe as Ozzy Osbourne himself walked around his mansion, swearing and cussing at everything in sight. His teenage kids even swore, along with his wife. Dudley kept stealing threatening glances at the now triumphant Harry, planning what he should do next to torture his little cousin. Now thinking about it, Dudley saw that although Harry was smaller than he was in weight, his "little" cousin was actually taller than he was by at least half a foot.  
  
"When did you grow, scarface?" Dudley asked, tauntingly.  
  
"Oh, during the school year, when I got to eat REAL food," Harry shot back sarcastically. Dudley reddened in the face, then realized that he wouldn't be able to catch Harry in a million years. So, he turned and looked around the fully decorated room, until his eyes caught sight of his presents. He pointed at each one, counting first the ones on top of one table, then the rest that lay under the table.  
  
"25 plus 11," Dudley said, trying to calculate the hard (*cough* dimwit *cough*) equation.  
  
"36. Geez, you're a sharp one," Harry again said sarcastically. Dudley didn't quite process what Harry had said, but instead, whined.  
  
"36?! I have one less present than last year!" he pounded his fists like hammers on the couch. Harry's thought wandered to the recent shipment he had received from the Weasley twins new shop, the same place that had sent him the disappearing ink. Hmm, should I give Dudley some Ton-Tongue toffee again?, he thought. Naah, he said to himself. Let's try and be a good boy this year. Harry glanced at the cuckoo clock, just about to strike12 noon.  
  
"Hey, Dudley? Isn't your party going to start in, say, 30 minutes? You should get dressed," Harry said.  
  
"Sure, Potter. You're probably lying," Dudley said, without even looking at Harry. But then, he too looke up at the clock, and waddled up the stairs to dress up in his room. Harry jumped onto the couch and wanted to change the channel to some cartoons. He came upon an interesting one while flipping through the channels. Harry had by some chance entered the international channel, and a very intersting cartoon about girls in short skirts fighting evil came on. "Moon......prism......power!" yelled one with her blonde hair up in two buns and flowing down to her knees. He saw another, smaller girl with pink hair shoot some little laser hearts at some monster. Harry enjoyed watching this little Japanese cartoon, for the time being. The cartoon had finished a little too soon for his liking when a sudden sound of footsteps came to the door, and the sound of a key going through a lock was heard. Harry switched off the TV, and ran into the kitchen.  
  
From there, he saw the Dursleys reenter with lots of equipment in their arms. What looked like a college student walked in as well. There was a little bit of a banging noise upstairs, and Dudley came rushing down, making a grand entrance. Aunt Petunia clapped, and Uncle Vernon smiled the most gigantic smile Harry had ever seen. Disgusting, Harry thought to himself. The, Aunt Petunia came rushing into the kitchen. She pulled out what seemd to be a seven layer cake from the refrigerator, and placed it on the table that Harry was leaning on. She shot him a look, which Harry understood as being, "Don't touch that cake, or else!"  
  
Harry sat quietly in the kitchen, watching more and more people stream in as 12:30 sounded from the cuckoo clock. He saw many of the relatives come in and then outside to the patio. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon rushed this way and that, welcoming guests, and delivering appetizers all around. Harry then saw a large group of boys come in, no doubt from Smelting, Dudley's school. They took one look at Harry, and laughed hard. Then, a group of girls arrived. They saw Harry, and headed towards him, to the kitchen. Aunt Petunia saw this and shooed Harry out of the kitchen to sit on the staircase.  
  
He stared longingly around the staircase at the party that was raging. Actually, it was very calm, and no one wanted to dance. He heard Aunt Petunia remark that this was the day the Dudley would get his first girlfriend. Wow, Harry thought, I didn't know you could get a girlfriend from throwing the lamest party of the year. Harry continued to watch as a young girl in a short, violet dress walked up to the punch bowl. She was probably some cousin twice removed, for she had dark skin, and black hair strewn with violet highlights. She seemed short in stature, but great in age, perhaps about Harry's age. She poured some punch into her cup, as Dudley was egged on by his cronies to go talk to her. He strode up to her, whispered something in her ear, and immediately received a slap in the face. Harry, trying not to laugh, kept his mouth shut, but that only made him snort. He finally let out all his laughter, which gained the notice of that pretty little girl. She glanced in his direction, and Harry tried desperately to turn back around the staircase, so she wouldn't see him. But it was too late. She had already seen him and was making her way to the staircase.  
  
"May I have this seat?" she asked in an American accent, gesturing to the space beside Harry on the bottom step. Harry nodded. She sat down, took a few sips of her punch, then looked him straight in the eye. Her eyes, strangely, were violet like her hair. "Why aren't you with those other boys?"  
  
"Because, I'm just the dorky cousin of the one who just talked to you. What did he say?" said Harry curiously.  
  
"Well, he used a pick-up line on me. He just walked up, and said, 'Your name should be Campbell's, because you're mmm, mmm, good!' So I just had to slap him. Why do you think you're dorky?"  
  
"Because......I go to a different school, and they like to bully me around for it."  
  
"Which school?"  
  
"I can't tell you that."  
  
"Fine, then why are you sitting by yourself? You know, you are very popular here at this party..." Harry looked at her in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah, right. Me, and my oversized elephant skins."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't say that," the girl said, pointing to the kitchen. There, all the girls were staring at him. When Harry looked at them, they all waved liked idiots and started giggling hysterically. Harry waved back, smiling. "Besides," the girl continued, "where I'm from, baggy pants are all the rage!"  
  
"You're from the States, aren't you?"  
  
"No not technically.....You see, it's complicated. I was born Japanese, and sent to school in California since I was 4 or 5. I only go back to visit Tokyo in the summers."  
  
"Then, what brings you here to Jolly Ol' England?"  
  
"I'm scouting out the place where I'll have to go to school next. For some reason, my parents are sending me to a school here."  
  
"And, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Shhh! I'm not even supposed to be here! I don't know these people!"  
  
"I wish I could say the same," Harry said, reluctantly. They sat for awhile, side by side, until Uncle Vernon spotted the foreign girl. He charged like an angry bull over.  
  
"Uhh.....I gotta go!" she said, heading towards the door. "Nice meeting you.....what was your name again?"  
  
"I haven't mentioned it. It's Harry. Harry Potter," Harry said, wondering if he would ever see this amazing girl again.  
  
"Nice meeting you, Harry Potter," she said with a grin. "I'm Cassie Takachi. I hope we can meet again soon!" With that, she ran out the door and jumped on something. It was a skateboard, and Harry watched in awe as she maneuvered the thing with ease, even if she was wearing high-heeled shoes. Uncle Vernon looked wildly out the door as Cassie zoomed away. He then turned to Harry.  
  
"I told you! NO TALKING WITH THE LADIES!" Uncle Vernon bellowed. He grabbed Harry by the scruff of the neck and dragged him upstairs. Harry glanced back sadly, and saw the girls all sigh with disappointment as he was shoved back into his stuffy little room for perhaps the remainder of the summer. 


	2. A Portal

So sorry to whoever reviewed this whose review got erased! I accidentally deleted this chapter and had to upload it again.....but to all those who read it, I made this chapter a little longer.....enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Harry opened his eyes, and saw that he was in the Chamber of Secrets once again. He looked around, confused. I thought this secret place was closed off forever, he thought to himself. Bewildered, he wandered around, searching for something, anything. He got to a main chamber, where he had fought the Basilisk about two years before. He heard nothing, but the sound of his own feet. Then, a swooping sound came to his ears. A huge, beautiful red bird flew over to Harry, dropping a raggedy old hat at his feet. It was Fawkes, the phoenix belonging to Dumbledore, and the sly bird had brought Harry the Sorting Hat. Harry picked up the hat, examining it. The flames on the torches instantly started to burn, letting him look at his surroundings more clearly. It was still the same as before, but then he noticed three extra pillars standing in the distance.  
  
He walked to theses pillars and saw three different people tied to them, all unconscious. The first one he recognized as Hermione. He ran over to her and tried to wake her up. Harry yelled, shook her, and even slapped her, but all was in vain. The second column, further down the path, had Ginny tied to it. He tried to wake her up too, but failed. The third he saw his own crush tied to it, the crush that he had had since his 3rd year at Hogwarts. Cho Chang, looking so gorgeous to Harry, was bound to the third pillar. He was about to try and get her to wake up, when he realized that something had dropped out of the Sorting Hat.  
  
It was the Sword of Gryffindor. Harry picked it up, and held it close to his face. Something was being reflected off of the sword. Harry thought it looked like a person, but couldn't decide because all he could see was a light shining on their forehead. It was a bright white star with a moon encircling it. Harry tried to get a closer look, but his scar started to shine as well, giving him enormous pain and anguish. He dropped the sword, clutching his forehead, and the next thing he knew he...  
  
Woke up, sweating. Harry sat bolt upright in bed, wondering if he had just seen what he think he saw. He was still holding his forehead tightly, feeling it burn under his hands. When he removed them and looked into the mirror propped up beside the closet, he saw that his lightning bolt scar was shining white. After a couple of seconds, the scar stopped shining. Harry lifted his hands from his head and looked at the clock. It was 6 o'clock in the morning.  
  
He got out of his sunken bed and marked off another day on the calendar he had received from Ron for his birthday. It featured Ron's favorite Quidditch team of all time, the Chudley Cannons. As the miniature people whizzed around on their broomsticks, Harry calculated how many days he was pent up in this little space. Three weeks, he saw sadly. For three weeks, he was not let out of his room at all except to go to the bathroom. His two meagar meals a day had consisted of Campbell's soup, slipped in the opening between the bottom of the door and the floor. Most of the time, it sloshed, leaving Harry only a little bit left. Fortunately, along with Ron's present came various food cooked up by the wonderful Mrs. Weasley, his mom. He ended up feasting on bread, chicken enchanted to stay warm, and many other kinds of edibles. Hermione had also sent him a present of food. She had to send three owls at one to carry her enormous cake all the way to Harry's place. With the cake came some Japanese trinkets. Hermoine was spending her holidays in Tokyo, and had bought lots of different things for Harry, including Japanese poppers, candy, and some cards that her friend there had given her.  
  
Harry went to the loose floorboard and took out some of the food and the cards that Hermione had given him. Glancing at these, he recognized the girls from that cartoon that he had watched before. They bore the title of the show on each collectible: Sailor Moon. He grinned, happy that Hermione hadn't sent him books or reminded him to do his homework. Besides, he thought, it's already all done. Looking at the other presents that he had received, he found the cookies that Hagrid had sent him. This time, they weren't rock solid. The headmaster from Beaxbatons in France had taught him how to cook properly. Harry's eyes also landed upon his gift from Sirius. It was a curious thing called a Pandora's Box. It was supposed to contain all your pains and frustrations for you so that you wouldn't have to carry them around. Harry, though, was afraid to open it, fearing that it was the real box from the legend, not the imitation that it was.  
  
He threw it back under the floorboard and fished out some food to eat. He pulled out a warm corn on the cob and sat, eating it. He looked out of the window and saw Hedwig, finally returning with some mail. I guess I shouldn't work her so hard, he thought, looking at Hedwig who seemed to be worn out and beaten. He gave his owl the rest of his corn, while he sat down with his letters. Ron had sent a note, hoping Harry would come over soon. But, Ron couldn't send anyone to pick him up again. His family was afraid of another catastrophe with the irritable Dursleys. Hermione wished him luck on Privet Drive and said she would meet Ron and him at Diagon Alley a week before school started. And, he received not only one, but TWO letters from Hogwarts. Surprised, he opened up the first one.  
  
Harry recognized it instantly as his new supply list. Nothing new, except that he had to get the upgrade versions of all his textbooks. The second one, he presumed, was probably just an extra copy, sent to him by mistake or something. Just to satisfy his curiosity, he opened it to reveal another slip of parchment. Harry realized that this handwriting was that of his professor of Tranfiguration, not to mention head of his house, Professor McGonagall. In it, she had briefly scrawled that Gryffindor was in need of a new captain for Quidditch, and that she would be so happy if Harry would take the job. Reading over these words, Harry felt a leap of joy, but restrained himself from yelling lest Uncle Vernon come stomping up stairs to scream at him.  
  
Filled with unmeasurable glee, Harry lied down on his bed, the letter still clutched in his hand. He closed his eyes and envisioned himself winning the Quidditch Cup as the captain, and Cho clapping for him, and giving him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. He thought about Cho, her short, layered hair, her dark almond-shaped eyes, and that pretty smile that shoed all of her perfectly aligned teeth. But as this thought hovered over him, another suddenly occurred. Harry thought of Cassie and envisioned her standing next to Cho. Cassie was about the same size, but with longer hair with those violet highlights, and large round violet eyes. Both equally beautiful and tempting, Harry thought about which one was easier to get. He came to the conclusion that he should go after Cho, since he would probably never see the girl who slapped Dudley again. A sharp sound knocked him out of his daydreams. It was coming from the window.  
  
Harry walked to the window and looked outside. It had already grown surprisingly dark, and he saw the full moon waxing bright. More sharp sounds hit the window, and Harry opened it to look out. He looked downward and found none other than Cassie, throwing small pebbles at the window.  
  
"Hey," whispered Cassie, cupping her hands over her mouth. "Want to go out, have some fresh air?"  
  
"Is that really such a good idea? I mean, the Dursleys, they're ..." Harry stuttered.  
  
"Sound asleep," Cassie said, finishing off his sentence for him. "Don't worry about it, we'll get you out of here!"  
  
" 'We'll' ? What do you mean we'll?" he said nervously.  
  
"This is what I mean," Cassie said. She pointed to the bushes. Harry stared at them, while she gave a short whistle. Out of the shrubbery came three cats. One was black, one was white, and the other was gray. They climbed the tree next to Harry's window and jumped though the window into his room, nearly knocking him over. They simpered down to the door, and the black one jumped onto a shelf situated near the lock, and picked it with one of its claws. The black one than turned back to Harry and gave him ... a wink? No, he was just imagining all this. That's right, he said to himself, it's all just a dream. But he watched these cats nimbly walk down the stairs, heard them pick the lock to the closet under the stairs, and watched in awe as the cats carried the heavy trunk back upstairs, unaided. The three cats then jumped to the tree outside again, and rested, cleaning themselves. "Good," Cassie told them. She then looked at Harry and said, "Hurry up and pack up your stuff! We're supposed to leave in 10 minutes!" Harry tore up the loose floorboard and piled all its contents in his trunk. He then grabbed the oversized clothes from his closet and put them on top of the rest of stuff. Making sure he had everything, he grabbed Hedwig's cage and tried carrying both out the window. Cassie rolled her eyes thinking, Boys, they do everything the hard way. She whistled again, and the cats got hold of the trunk and carried it with ease down the tree, as Harry followed them, hugging Hedwig's cage.  
  
Cassie did something even stranger, now that Harry was safe on the ground. She gave a little smile, and stuck a small key into the trunk of his tree. She turned the little key, and a door that Harry didn't even know was there opened up. She walked inside, followed by the strong cats and a confused Harry. Inside the door was a place that was unlike anything Harry had ever seen. It was a big, endless plain of nothingness, going on forever in all directions, even, it seemed, down. Cassie lead the little group a long way until she stopped in front of a woman with long dark hair carrying a staff. This person seemed so familiar to Harry, but he couldn't place her anywhere. His new friend whispered something in this woman's ear, and she nodded and stepped aside, revealing yet another door. The odd group passed through it and found themselves at....  
  
"The Burrow?! But how?!" exclaimed Harry.  
  
"Oh, don't you worry Harry Potter. As long as you're safe here," Cassie said, giggling a little bit. "And look! The sun is rising!" She pointed to the horizon, and together they watched the sun ascend into the new day. "This is where I leave you, Harry. Hope I see you again sometime!" she said, giving him a wink. She then took her key out again, this time affixing it into a knothole in the Weasley's tree. The cats dropped the heavy trunk, shook a little as if dirty, and followed her. She waved at Harry, who waved back, also grinning. As Cassie disappeared into her portal, Ron Weasley in, his pajamas, came bounding out of his ramshackle house. He was yelling and screaming and gave Harry such a big hug that he felt that he was going to faint.  
  
"Harry!! I can't believe it! It's you! What took you so long?!" Ron said all in one breath.  
  
"Can't...speak...can't...breathe....please....," Harry mumbled.  
  
"Oops, sorry Harry," said Ron, letting go of his friend. "Hey, who was that girl who walked into our tree? She was pretty...."  
  
"Ron, I'll explain later. And, what about Hermione? I thought you and her were..." Harry started. Ron grew red and shot Harry the most evil look ever. Harry immediately shut his mouth, understanding immediately what Ron had meant. Harry and Ron carried the trunk back to the house together, Harry grabbing one end, and Ron the other, with Hedwig still sleeping in her cage balanced on top. Harry wondered how three small cats could haul a load that two strong boys couldn't. As soon as they got inside, Harry was nearly tackeld to the ground with greetings form Ron's family. Mrs. Weasley gave him as tight of a hug as Ron did, then he was passed to Mr. Weasley, who clapped him on the shoulder and made Harry's knees buckle and almost make him fall. Percy put his arm around Harry's shoulders, explaining that he neede help on his paper about parchment lengths ("Really!" Percy remarked. "I person could get killed by tripping on a too long parchment!"). That was before the twins got a hold of Harry and whizzed around him, talking in excited voices about their new shop and shaking Harry's hand every five seconds. This was a problem, since each of them had a buzzer attached to their hand, and gave Harry a real lightning shock with every handshake. Finally, when Harry's hair was already standing on end and you could see the charge going through it, Ron dragged him away.  
  
"Dad already brought your trunk upstairs, Harry! We'll be roomies again this summer!" Ron said excitedly. Harry looked ready to collapse, but he was happy too. "And guess what, Harry?! I'm a prefect now!" Ron grinned from ear to ear and flashed his little prefect badge for Harry to see. "Mione is one too.....but." Ron had a glum look on his face.  
  
"What's the matter Ron?" Harry said.  
  
"Malfoy is also one of the new prefects," said Ron, with a sour look on his face. "We each got a list of all the prefects, and at the top of the list were me, Hermione, and Malfoy."  
  
"Ewww......I am so sorry for you," said Harry, patting Ron on the back.  
  
"You? Sorry? I should be sorry for you! You weren't made into a prefect," Ron said defensively.  
  
"No, but I get to be something even better. You are looking at Gryffindor's new Quidditch Captain!" Harry relished in his triumph, as he saw Ron's jaw drop a hundred miles. "OH MY GOD!" Ron screamed, and both started jumping up and down.  
  
"YOUNG MAN, DI D I JUST HEAR SOMETHING BAD COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH?" the voice of Mrs. Weasley said from downstairs. They both stopped jumping and smiled.  
  
"No, Mom!" Ron yelled back.  
  
"Well, come out here! We need some help degnoming the garden!" his mom screamed back at him. Ron sighed and he and Harry walked down the stairs and out the door in the kitchen to the garden. There, the rest of the family was busy whirling the gnomes over their heads and flinging them over the fences. "There's more than ever. It's like they tell all their friends that this is the place to go!" remarked an exasperated Mrs. Weasley. Harry helped them to degnome the garden, and then went inside to play some wizards chess with Ron. After 13 straight victories for Ron, the family had a heaping helping of supper, partly in honor of their guest. Harry caught sight of a very beautiful redhead he had never seen before. He stared at her for most of the meal, wondering who she could possibly be. Stuffed full of food, the family head to their rooms to sleep.  
  
"So, you fancy Ginny now, ay?" Ron said with a smirk.  
  
"No! Of course I don't!" Harry snapped. They both changed into their pajamas and sat on Ron's Chudley Cannons bed. "By the way, who was that other girl at the table?"  
  
"That girl you were staring at the whole time? Oh, that was Ginny. I think she may think you like her now, with all that attention you've been giving her," Ron said, giving an evil smile.  
  
"Oh great. I was just wondering why she was so familiar! I wasn't checking her out or anything!"  
  
"Sure, Harry, sure..." Ron said, sarcastically. Harry pushed Ron off his bed, and they both laughed.  
  
"Wow, she's changed over the summer," Harry said.  
  
"Yeah. She's grown taller and gotten her 'curves' as my mom says. But, she's still the same geeky little sister," Ron said.  
  
"You better watch out, Ron. Your sister could be the most popular Gryffindor 4th year now...she could be getting more action that you!" Harry said. This time, it was his turn to be pushed. After a little roughhousing, they both got into their beds and lied down.  
  
"Harry, what was with that girl that you were with?" Ron said, turning over in bed to face Harry.  
  
"Oh, just a friend. She slapped Dudley. Enough said," Harry said, stifling a laugh.  
  
"What? Oh geez," said Ron, also trying to keep his laughter down.  
  
"Yeah, and she saw me laughing at her and talked to me. We became instant friends," said Harry, thinking back on that day nearly 3 weeks before.  
  
"You're a babe magnet, you know that? First Ginny, then Parvati, then Cho..."  
  
"Cho? She never liked me..."  
  
"Are you kidding me? Didn't you notice that she and her friends sort of followed you around?"  
  
"No....."  
  
"You're so thickheaded sometimes!"  
  
"Well, it's not like I could really get her to be my girlfriend anyway!" Harry shot back at Ron. Harry thought about his last comment, and realized that it was true. Cho would probably have a new boyfriend as soon as they came back to school, and it most likely wouldn't be Harry.  
  
"You'll see, Harry. And even if she won't, there a countless others that will. Like your new friend, for instance. One look, and she was stuck on you!" Ron said.  
  
"Cassie is just a friend. A friend that I will probably never see again. So, you won't talk to me about Hermione?" Harry said hopefully.  
  
"I will. She's in Tokyo, and she sent me some of these cards. But, I don't want them," Ron said, handing some Sailor Moon cards to Harry.  
  
"Thanks, but that's not what I meant. Do you still....you know...." Harry started again.  
  
"I don't want to talk about that," Ron said quickly. "And, I will never let her know my secret in a million years!"  
  
"Aw, come on Ron! You know you want to tell her! Everyone else knows already! Even Rita Skeeter knows, I bet!" Rita Skeeter is a very lucrative reporter. She spread rumors on just about everyone Harry was friends with. But currently, she is not getting any stories because she is being held captive in a jar by Hermione. Skeeter, you see, was an Animagus that could change into a bug.  
  
"Harry, shut up! I won't talk about it!" Ron turned in his bed and went to sleep. Harry lay awake for a couple of moments. Throughout the whole, tiring day, he still couldn't shut his eyes. Then , he heard humming. Strolling to the window, he looked out as he had done the night before. There was a just a little white rabbit below in the garden. But, he still heard the humming noise. It was so familiar, yet so distant. He just smiled, and went back to bed, now too lulled by the song to think about it origin. 


	3. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

Chapter 3  
  
Harry and Ron awoke the next day to the smells of another feast. Mrs. Weasley was cooking up a storm downstairs, and the fragrances wafting upstairs indicated that she was whipping up eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, and even more tantalizing dishes. The whole family thundered down the stairs, still dressing, trying to get to the scrumptious food first. All six of them sat down at the table. But only six? Harry counted the people around the table, and realized who was missing.  
  
As soon as this thought crossed his mind, the two missing men came running down the stairs. Mr Weasley grabbed his coffee and bit his toast, while Mrs. Weasley got up to help him tie his tie. Percy Weasley had his arms crossed and was tapping his foot.  
  
"We don't have time for this nonsense, Dad! The ministry is waiting for us!" Percy wailed.  
  
"Can't leave without a breakfast though," Mr. Weasley said, smiling to his son. Percy just rolled his eyes and held open the door as his father rushed out, and then followed out after him. No one really paid much notice to this, too busy with the food to observe the spectacle. Fred and George inhaled their food in 5 minutes flat so that they could tell Harry about their shop.  
  
"With your money, Harry, we were able to open Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley!" Fred said, beaming.  
  
"Within one summer, we were able to make enough money to pay you back, and then some!" George added.  
  
"Yeah, enough money to open up another one. And guess where?" said Ron, putting down his food to talk. He was just as excited as they were.  
  
"Where?" Harry asked, his mouth full of bacon.  
  
"Hogsmeade," Ginny said, speaking to Harry for the first time since the end of the last school term. She blushed, and immediately went back to her waffles.  
  
"How are you going to keep two shops going and still go to school?" asked Mrs. Weasley in a condescending way.  
  
"Relax mum. We'll hire managers to run the stores for us!" George said.  
  
"And what about now? Today, and all this week, you two have to go to that new shop your building at Hogsmeade, and you haven't hired any managers yet!" their mother said seriously.  
  
"Ron, Harry, and Ginny will do that for us, won't you?" said Fred, turning his eyes on each of them as he spoke their names. They all nodded an affirmative, and the twins turned innocent smiles on Mrs. Weasley. She sighed, and mumbled to herself what sounded like, "What am I going to do with you kids?"  
  
At last, everyone was done eating. Harry felt like he was going to explode as Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at the dishes and levitated them to the sink. With a look of disapproval on her face, she left to do her housework. The twins laid out the plan for the three younger teenagers.  
  
"Okay, we'll be at Hogsmeade," Fred began.  
  
"How?" Ron asked.  
  
"Floo powder. So anyway, we'll be at Hogsmeade, and you'll..." Fred started again.  
  
"Stay out of trouble!" George finished his sentence. Harry, Ron, and Ginny started laughing at this. It was ridiculous to hear the twins tell them not to make trouble. "We're serious!" George whined. "All you have to do is man the register and stock up the supplies in the back when stuff disappears from the shelves."  
  
"I think we've got it under control," said Harry. The twins gave them smiles approval, and led the others up to the fireplace. Each of the twins took a handful of Floo powder in hand, throwing it into the fire and yelling "Hogsmeade!" before stepping in. They both disappeared into the green flames. Then, Ron stepped up with some Floo powder, throwing it in and yelling "Diagon Alley!" After he had gone, Ginny repeated the same thing, and Harry followed after them.  
  
He felt the same sensation of spinning as he had those other times he had travelled by Floo powder, and closed his eyes so that ash wouldn't get in them. He finally felt solid ground under his feet after a few seconds of this weightlessness, and stepped out into a very bright store. He rubbed his glasses a little bit on his shirt to get them cleaner so he could see better, and found he had walked into a dream world that could only have been thought up by the infamous Fred and George.  
  
Lots of the merchandise in here seemed to glow red, orange, and yellow, and Harry wondered if he was still in the fire. Then he saw Ron and Ginny waving at him, and realized that this was the right place. Ron was already at the old fashioned register.  
  
"I know how to operate this thing," he said, clicking its raised up buttons. Suddenly, the cash box flew out. "Oops. Lucky that no money was in there yet," Ron said sheepishly. Harry just shook his head and took an apron from behind the cashier area. Ginny did the same, and showed him where the back room was.  
  
"This is where we, uh, keep the extra stuff," she said nervously. Harry gave her a nod and went back out into the main store to look at what the money he had donated had bought. There were so many thing to marvel at. Harry walked past a whole aisle full of what looked like those tiny, white Chinese poppers, except the boxes had pictures of animals on them instead. He saw one lying idle on the shelf, took it, and threw it at the ground. Instead of the little "pop" noise, the little thing quacked like a duck. Harry was a little startled at first, but then laughed. Another aisle seemed to be made especially for girls.  
  
"I helped them with this one," said a quavering voice. Harry turned around to see Ginny.  
  
"Really? That's nice Ginny," Harry replied. Ginny blushed profusely, and continued to walk down the aisle with him. On the shelves were shrinking violets that withered when given to another person, feather boas that turned into snakes, and little stuffed animals that insulted rather than complimented. Harry grabbed a bear and squeezed its hand. "Let go of me you wanker!" it screamed back in a shrill voice. He and Ginny started laughing really hard. They strolled over to a rack adorned with ridiculous hats and another next to it with seemingly harmless puppets. Harry took one of the hats, which looked like a dead opossum, and placed it on Ginny's head. She giggled so much that she bent in half. He then took a purple dinosaur puppet and placed it on his hand. To his surprise, it started talking on its own.  
  
"Do you want to sing a song?" it said to Harry. "Okay. I love you! You love me! We're a happy family! With a..."  
  
"Ah! Get it off!" screamed Harry. Half the store watched as Harry struggled to get the infernal thing off of his hand. But the harder he pulled, the harder it stayed on. Ginny grinned at him from under her grotesque hat.  
  
"It's like a Chinese finger trap. Fred and George can't seem to get enough of Oriental humor," she said. She then made Harry relax. The puppet then released itself and Ginny placed it back gingerly on its rack.  
  
"Thanks, Ginny. You're a great friend, you know that?" Harry said, nursing his now freed hand. Ginny's smile faded away.  
  
"Just friends?" she said, taking of the dead animal and putting it back on the its rack. "I thought..."  
  
"I'm sorry Ginny," said Harry, regretting what he had just said. "I mean that....well....you'll always just be a like a little sister to me..."  
  
"I know," she said, turning her back on him. She shook once or twice, and seemed to be wiping her eyes. She then turned back around. "So, friend? Shall we go back to walking the aisles?" Harry smiled and nodded, and they continued taking the inventory. They heard a loud, ringing sound and yelling. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and they ran over to the register to see Ron fumbling with the exploded register as his customers were growing angrier and angrier by the second.  
  
"I'm sorry sir! I'll try to get that change back to you as soon as I get this register back in order!" Ron said.  
  
"You incompetent fool! You don't even know how to run your own store! You are a Weasley, aren't you?" the fuming customer bellowed. To Harry, he looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. Then, Ginny tugged on his sleeve and pointed to the fireplace. There, Fred was waving at them, and putting his finger to his lips. Harry made a confused face at Fred, who then mouthed "polyjuice potion" back. Harry then understood. George had taken some of this magical potion to change form. He guessed that they had gone through his trunk and used one of Uncle Vernon's old socks.  
  
Harry and Ginny tried to suppress their laughter as Ron shrunk behind the register's desk. But, they couldn't hold it in any longer when Uncle Vernon became thinner, his hair getting redder and redder. Ron saw this happen, and realized what had happened. He grew angry and started yelling at the customer, George.  
  
"Temper, temper little brother!" George said, putting his hands up as if admitting his faults. This statement was contradictory though, since Ron was obviously as tall, if not taller, then his older brother.  
  
"And remember, the customer's always right!" said Fred, stepping out from the fireplace. Ron scowled at them.  
  
"Just what do you think you're doing?" Ron said.  
  
"Just making sure that our store is taken care of!" Fred said.  
  
"You should watch what you do here, because we could be watching you again!" George said with a snicker. Before Ron could reply, both disappeared into the fireplace again. The other clients watched in awe, and the whole store was silent for a few minutes. Then, all the customers resumed their shopping. Harry and Ginny lugged out the spare register from the storage room, placing it in front of Ron.  
  
"The nerve of them!" Ron said. "I thought for a minute there that my very first customer was going to be so nasty!"  
  
"Whatever, Ron," Harry said, hopping up to sit on the area right next to the register. There, they just talked for the rest of the day, with many interruptions by the shoppers of course. The rest of the week was the same, with Ginny as a sort of Hermione substitute for the time being.  
  
At the end of the week, Hermione did, however, come back from her vacation. It was one week before school started. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were working like mad in the store, since so many people back-to-school shopping decided to visit. Ron was so frazzled from all the Hogwarts students coming in to buy new things, while Harry and Ginny tried to control the crowds. Harry caught Dean and Seamus playing with the animal- noise poppers, and Colin Creevey and his little brother were helped by Ginny in the puppet section. They had gotten stuck with one puppet on each hand, all singing off key to different songs. Neville had found his way to the candy section, where he had unfortunately had some of it. He was both sprouting feathers and growing a large tongue this time. Harry had to stop Parvati, Padme, and Lavender from trying on the deadly feather boas, and Ginny tried in vain to keep Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle out of the store.  
  
"No! You can't! There's too many people inside already!" Ginny said, trying to push the three out.  
  
"Uh, huh. Sure little Weasel," Malfoy sneered. He started laughing, then elbowed Crabbe and Goyle behind him to signal them to laugh too.  
  
"Oh shut up, Malfoy," came a familiar voice behind them.  
  
"Hermione!" Ginny squealed, running to hug her friend. They started hugging jumping up and down. Hermione than let go of her best gal pal and turned to Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.  
  
"You have no right to call her Weasel, bleach head," Hermione said, turning steely again.  
  
"And just what are you going to do about it, Mudblood?" Malfoy spat.  
  
"Oh nothing," said Hermione innocently. "Just this... ?I'l('è'·)!" Immediately, a tiny brown squirrel came out of her wand. Malfoy smiled at it.  
  
"Oh, how cute. A little pet," he said, crouching down. Then, the squirrel attacked, jumping on Malfoy's neck. "ARRGH!" Malfoy yelled, running down the lane. Crabbe and Goyle shrugged at each other, then copied their leader, shrieking and running down the lane after him.  
  
"What was that?" Ron said from the door of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.  
  
"Japanese for squirrel. My friend Bunnie taught me," she said, turning around. She was startled to see two very tall, mature boys staring back at her. "Geez, did you grow!" she said to Harry and Ron.  
  
"We weren't the only ones," Ron said, pointing out Ginny. Hermione's eyes opened in surprise as she realized that Ginny did look grown up. "You grew too!" Harry said to her. She walked inside the store and picked up a mirror from one of the shelves. She took one look and made a face.  
  
"Ugh! No! I didn't! I grew shorter and fatter!" she said in a disgusted voice.  
  
"Herm, that's a trick mirror. You should learn not to trust anything that Fred and George make!" Ron said. Hermione shot Ron an evil look, then walked around the store with Ginny.  
  
The first thing she said when she got back was, "Did you two do your homework yet?"  
  
Both rolled their eyes and mumbled, "Yes." They had a good laugh, when the twins came in through the fire.  
  
"Okay, guys," Fred said. "We finished with our Hogsmeade store and hired managers for both of the shops.  
  
"You and your two girlfriends can leave now," George said playfully.  
  
"You've got to be kidding," Harry said.  
  
"I'm not his girlfriend!" screamed Ginny at the same time.  
  
"Fine then. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and his girlfriend must leave now," said Fred.  
  
"WHAT?" Ron and Hermione said at the same time. They both got really red and inched away from each other. They both ran out of the store as fast as they could. Outside, you could see them go in opposite directions.  
  
"Heh heh. Those two," George said. "Puppy love."  
  
"Yeah, you gotta love it," said Fred, putting one of his arms around George's shoulders. "You two better keep an eye on the lovebirds, okay?" Harry and Ginny laughed.  
  
"Sure thing," Ginny said. She and Harry walked out of the store to find Ron and Hermione still running in and out of shops, still trying to avoid each other. 


	4. Back to School

Okay.........new note from the author.....  
  
I really appreciate the reviews, people, especially since they all say that my story is good *smiles from ear to ear* But.....I don't know who half of you are! You've reviewed and put no indication as to your email address, or penname if you have one on this site! So please....if you review this, tell me something, anything about yourself so that I can contact you and thank you personally! And, if my story begins to suck, or you spot one too many grammatical errors, it is alright to tell me. I appreciate the constructive criticism! Cya late! bunnie  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Harry and the gang made their usual rounds at Diagon Alley. They first went to Gringotts to withdraw some of their wizard money. All the goblins inside seemed to be on high alert, and were checking everyone's accounts with pictures of them. The creatures had actually been able to obtain pictures of every witch and wizard from the time they were born extending up to the present, with at least one picture per year. Harry guessed that the return of Voldemort had given them quite a scare, as he watched one of the goblins interrogating another client, asking what they had done at the age of two. When they went down to their vaults, Harry made sure that the other didn't catch how much money was in his own vault. When it was his turn, he shoveled the money as fast as he could into his little leather bag.  
  
Ron led everyone Quality Quidditch Supplies, but there they found that there were no new models of broomsticks out yet. They walked over to where Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop had been. The Weasley twins had put them out of business when they moved their first shop there. Then it was off to the Apothecary to replenish supplies for their Potions classes, and Eeylops Owl Emporium. Fred had given Ginny some galleons to buy herself an owl. She walked out with a nice brown one, and continued down the street to a cauldron shop. All four had to buy new cauldrons because of Percy's award winning essay on cauldron bottom thickness from last year. Their current cauldrons were "inadequate" according to the Ministry of Magic's standards now. ("Next thing you know, our scrolls of parchment will be regulated too! Stupid Percy and his essays!") Hermione caught a glimpse of some excited little kids, probably first years, trying out wands at Ollivander's. She did a double take and stopped in front of the window, as the others went ahead of her.  
  
"Oi! Hermione! You coming or not?" Ron yelled at her. That comment broke her concentration, and she turned and joined back up with her friends. "What were you staring at? They're just first years!" Ron sarcastically said.  
  
"I thought I recognized one of them for a second. It was weird. She looked like my friend from Tokyo..."  
  
"Hello? Tokyo? We have no classmates at Hogwarts that are Asian, let alone Japanese!" Ron said.  
  
"You can't forget Cho Chang. She's both, remember?" said Harry, making Ron look down on the ground.  
  
"Sorry, Harry. I forgot about your girlfriend," he said.  
  
"She's not his girlfriend yet," Ginny snapped. "She's...err...just a friend for now, right Harry?" She turned to Harry, who blushed, and both looked at the ground. Their last stop was Flourish and Blotts for their books. Hermione had a hard time carrying her books out of the store, since her stack was about twice as large as everyone else's. She had bought some extra ones for a little bit of "light reading." Ron rolled his eyes at her and caught the stack as it tumbled to the ground. Ginny unloaded her books on Harry, and the two girls skipped off to who knows where, leaving Harry and Ron with nearly 20 books each (Harry was now also carrying some of Hermione's books). They dropped their loads with a big bang beside a table at the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley was there waiting for them, and gave them and energetic wave. Harry and Ron waved back, and looked around the somewhat dim bar.  
  
"So, what'll it be boys?" a lovely waitress interrupted their thoughts. They turned to her, and Ron's jaw dropped.  
  
"Oh, nothing right now miss," Harry said. He took one look at the gawking Ron, pushed his mouth closed, and said, "He won't be having anything either." The waitress giggled, smiled, and gave them a wink. Ron stared as the waitress sauntered to another table.  
  
"Just what are you looking at, Ron?" Hermione said angrily. Ron whipped around quickly, his eyes widening again.  
  
"N-n-nothing Hermione," he stuttered. Hermione gave a grunt and sat down in the chair beside Ron, and Ginny took one next to Harry. "Where have you girls been?" Ron asked them.  
  
"Oh, just checking out the, you know, girl stuff," said Ginny. Harry shot Ron a glance, and they nodded to each other.  
  
"And what does that mean?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, you know...boys...love charms...periods..." Hermione said. Harry and Ron made faces, got up from the table, and ran to the bathroom covering their mouths. "Gets them every time!" Hermione said, giving a high five to Ginny.  
  
It was another week until school started, and another one of working for the teenagers. Hermione joined them at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, taking the role of second cashier. Harry and Ginny watched her and Ron as they continually fought over how to properly operate a register, how to treat customers, and who was earning more money.  
  
"It's good to have someone to talk to about them," said Harry as he and Ginny sat outside the store to avoid the storm known as Ron and Hermione fighting.  
  
"Yeah. I'm glad that we're friends," Ginny replied. And that was how their summer ended.  
  
Harry was in the Chamber of Secrets again. He went through all the motions, saw the girls tied to the pillars, and once again wielded the Sword of Gryffindor. Looking in its reflect, he caught sight of that other, smaller person. As he turned to see them, he woke up from the vision. He sat up in his bed, and looked at the clock to see what time it was. It was already 6 o'clock in the morning. He had little time to get ready for the trip to King's Cross train station. He ran into the bathroom and started brushing his teeth.  
  
"Woah, Harry," said a fully dressed and ready Ron. "Your scar. It's glowing!"  
  
"I know Ron!" Harry said after he had spit and gargled. He quickly washed his face, then rushed back to the orange room to change into his elephant skins from Dudley. He stopped half way through pulling up his pants to think about how they would get to the station. He finished dressing up, threw his stuff back into the trunk, shut Hedwig into her cage, and ran back out of the room. "Ron, how are we getting to the station?"  
  
"Ministry cars again. In fact, I think most of the students are now being escorted. The Ministry's very frightened of what may happen to the cherished Hogwarts children now that You-know-who is back," Ron replied.  
  
"Just say it Ron. Voldemort," Harry insisted. Ron got the shivers.  
  
"Don't do that, Harry!" he said.  
  
"Why? Does it......scare you?" Harry said. Ron gulped.  
  
"No...." he said in a frightened voice.  
  
"Fine. Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort....." Harry repeated over and over again.  
  
"Stop it!" squealed Ron. He put his hands over his ears. Harry just laughed. They dragged their trunks down the stairs and put them into an already huge stack at the bottom. Ginny, Fred, and George were already at the table, eating. Mrs. Weasley bustled about, and handed each of them a brown paper bag.  
  
"Those are sandwiches. Don't worry, Ron, they're not corned beef," she said as Ron handled his sandwich like a bomb. "We have to leave in a couple of minutes, now. Hurry and eat, so we can get your trunks into the cars waiting outside!" They obeyed and stuffed as much food as they could in the last 5 minutes that they had. They then made a mad dash to the pile of trunks at the bottom of the stairs, and dragged them outside where two yellow taxi cabs were waiting for them.  
  
"Those look just like the ones from New York!" Ginny said, excited. She, Harry, and Ron went back inside to fetch their owls. Hedwig was asleep, as was Ginny's new owl, Penelope. But Ron's Pigwidgeon had finally shown his true colors and was whizzing around the cage, ecstatic.  
  
"Aww, stop it Pig!" Ron whined as he stuffed the cage last into the trunk of the second cab. Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George piled into one of the yellow taxis, and Ron, Harry, and Ginny went into the other.  
  
"Why American cars?" Harry asked.  
  
"Dad said that it was to hide that these were Ministry cars. I don't think they did a good job though....these will surely stick out in traffic," Ron said. But, they weren't really taken notice of, since about fifty other taxis were spotted on the way to the train station. Ron had been right before. Other students were also being escorted safely to the trains. They soon arrived at King's Cross, and served with wheeled racks. The Weasley's and Harry put their trunks on the racks, along with the cages.  
  
Walking down the station, they soon came to the point between Platforms 9 and 10. Fred and George ran into the separator first. Then, Ron went, followed by Harry, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley. Ron spotted Hermione, and the group became whole again. They loaded their trunks onto the train and went back outside to bid farewell to their parents. Mrs. Weasley gave everyone a hug, even Harry and Hermione. Hermione was the last to get a hug, but as Mrs. Weasley had Hermione in her grasp, she whispered something to her. Harry didn't catch what she said, but sure caught the smile that Hermione had on her face as she got into the train after him.  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny quickly found a good compartment to sit in. Before Harry knew it, the train was already chugging, and the plump witch with the food cart had come by. Harry, as usual, bought most, if not all, of the cart. As soon as the door closed, it reopened to reveal a tall girl with her Slytherin robes already on.  
  
"Have you....err.....people seen Draco Malfoy?" Pansy Parkinson asked the quartet. She had tried so hard not to say "Gryffindors". Harry and the others shook their heads slowly, their mouths full of sweets. "Well, if you do, tell him that his girlfriend is looking for him." She shut the door again, and when Harry heard her footsteps die away, he swallowed the Chocolate Frog he had been chewing and started cracking up.  
  
"Hahahahaha! I can't believe it! That ugly twit!" Harry said.  
  
"I know! I kind of feel sorry for Malfoy!" said Ron, tears coming to his eyes. "Imagine, being stalked by the most annoying girl in the 5th year class!" Harry and Ron were laughing so hard that the girls were sure that the whole rest of the train would hear.  
  
"I know. It's absolutely devastating," said a familiar, drawling voice from behind the door. Harry and Ron immediately stopped laughing as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle made their entrance into the booth. "Actually, I'd feel sorry for her. I have to break up with Pansy before this train comes to a complete stop."  
  
"Oh great. What an act of pure kindness!" Ginny remarked sarcastically.  
  
"So, what is the cute little Weasel doing with the Three Stooges?" Malfoy said, turning his attention to Ginny. Ron grew furious as he watched the Slytherins check her sister out.  
  
"You stay away from her, grease-head!" Ron said defensively.  
  
"Oh, I'm so scared. What will the big Weasel do to me?" Malfoy said, snickering.  
  
"Don't forget Malfoy. Or should I say, ferret?" Ron said.  
  
"Perhaps you should add a killer squirrel to that," said Hermione, backing Ron up. Malfoy got a nervous look on his face, grabbed his neck, and backed out of the compartment, closing the door.  
  
"Interesting," Harry said. "I didn't need to lift a finger to make him go away this time!" Harry reopened up the now worn out compartment door to see where Malfoy left. The bleach head was now in front of some other booth. "Check this out, guys," Harry called to the others. They all crowded around the opening to watch Malfoy.  
  
"Did it hurt when you fell down from heaven?" Malfoy said suavely to the compartment down the hall. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.  
  
"No, because I had idiots like you that could break my fall," said a chirpy little voice.  
  
"Aw, come on, sweetie. You know you don't want to be all alone in that empty little booth. Let a true Malfoy keep you company," Malfoy said, trying to slide in with the girl.  
  
"I don't think so," the girl replied. There was a bright flash from the compartment, and Malfoy was slammed against the wall opposite to the booth. He was covering his face, and continued to do so as he ran down the aisle, and in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who were now dying in laughter. Wonder who that girl was?, Harry thought to himself. Sounded familiar, but probably because all first years sound alike. That's right, he said to himself, it's just a little first year. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something else was amiss. And as he thought this, he heard a melody, the same lullaby that had set him to sleep many nights ago. His eyelids became heavy, and before he knew it, he had collapsed right there in the partition between the aisle and their compartment. He woke up to Hermione and Ginny talking rapidly.  
  
"Bunnie was the nicest person in the whole world, that is, unless you were mean to her. Then, you had to watch your back!" Hermione said at a million miles per hour. "That girl sure did know how to take care of herself."  
  
"Oh, now I wish I had met her," Ginny groaned.  
  
"You know, there were a couple of strange things about her," said Hermione, going into sort of a daze.  
  
"What, Herm?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Well, I never met her parents or relatives. One day, she went missing. And three weeks after that, she disappeared for two nights, without explanation," Hermione said slowly.  
  
"Maybe she did have her reasons. Maybe, she went to visit a sick uncle or something," Ginny said, trying to offer good reasoning.  
  
"What was stranger was that she was magic too. She begged me to teach her stuff I had learned at Hogwarts, and she learned everything I could instruct her in fast. That's okay, since she's some sort of witch too, right?" Hermione said, scared that she did something wrong.  
  
"I guess so," Ginny replied hesitantly. Harry kept his eyes closed through this conversation, so they wouldn't know he was listening. He then opened one eyes slowly and saw that Ron was also asleep, or pretending to be. His also had one eye open. Ron's eyes wandered to Harry's and they both smiled and put one finger to their lips, a signal to be quiet so that they could find out what the girls really talked about. But, before they could listen any longer, the girls had gotten up, taken out their Hogwarts robes, and walked out to find another empty compartment. Harry and Ron got up.  
  
"That was boring," Ron said, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"I know. Some girl talk," said Harry. He stretched his arms and reached up to get his robes. Ron did the same, they changed, and then lied back down.  
  
"Get back into the position you were in before," whispered Ron to Harry. Harry seemed confused for a moment, then understood and got back into his original position, closing his eyes. Hermione and Ginny walked back inside, took one look at the "sleeping" boys, and gasped.  
  
"How did they do that?" Hermione thought out loud.  
  
"I have no idea. Magic?" Ginny said, just as surprised as Hermione was. The two girls shook them hard. When they didn't stir, Hermione and Ginny backed away, scared. Ron opened one eye, and started laughing. Harry did the same, and watched as the girls' looks of disbelief turned into looks of what seemed like pure hatred.  
  
"How dare you pull a trick like that!" Hermione said.  
  
"I know! You scared us half to death!" Ginny added. The boys went on laughing, until the train stopped. They all went outside to meet their horseless carrigaes that would be taking them to the school. As Harry stepped out, he caught Pansy Parkinson covering her face and leaning against the train. He thought she was crying when she removed her hands and revealed a face ridden full of joy.  
  
"I'm so glad he broke up with me! How would I have known what a nasty fellow he would have turned into during the summer!" she exclaimed to her friends. Harry's eyes went past her and to one of the train's doors, where Cho Chang was stepping down from the train. She was even more beautiful than he had remembered her. Another girl got out behind her, but was herded immediately to the other first years with Hagrid. Hagrid gave Harry a friendly wave, as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny dragged him into the nearest available carriage. 


	5. Sorting Surprise

Chapter 5  
  
Harry gazed at the castle as it drew ever nearer from the carriage window. He spotted that Cho was in the carriage next to his and waved at her, almost falling out of the window. If it hadn't been for Ron pulling him back, he would have been trampled by invisible horses. Th carriages finally came to a complete stop, and the students got out, climbing the main stairs. Harry climbed carefully, thinking he might just slip. Why he thought that, he didn't know for the moment. But, as soon as he got inside, he stepped on a huge banana peel and slid all the way down the hallway. Harry crashed into the wall and was knocked down. He looked up, dazed, to see Peeves the Poltergeist eating a banana without its peel.  
  
"Aww! Poor ickle Harry slipped!" the evil little apparition said, cackling his head off and spitting banana at other arriving students.  
  
"I knew I had a bad feeling about this," said Harry, rubbing his head and getting back up. He walked over to where Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had stopped in their tracks and watched him glide across the floor.  
  
"You're not hurt, are you Harry?" asked a concerned Ginny.  
  
"No, but thanks Ginny," he said, dusting himself off. He walked inside with his best friends, and Ginny ran to the other side of the Great Hall to talk with some of her old buddies in her own class. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked passed the Slytherin table, and caught sight of Draco Malfoy, or what was left of him. His face had been transfigured into that of a red dragon's. Harry and Ron started laughing and pointing at the spectacle, and even Hermione joined along. They went back to their own table to await the Sorting Ceremony and Start of Year Feast.  
  
"I can't wait to eat. I could inhale a whole horse right now!" exclaimed Ron.  
  
"Ditto," said Harry.  
  
"Geez, you guys are pigs. And don't you remember? We're not supposed to eat the food! The house elves down there are being forced to cook and clean for us!" Hermione said in her let's-save-the-house-elves way.  
  
"Honestly, Herm. You're not still on about that S.P.A.W. thing, are you?" Ron said exasperatedly.  
  
"It's S.P.E.W., and as long as these elves are oppressed, I'm going to fight for their freedom!"  
  
"Hermione! Give it a rest already!" Ron said to her.  
  
"Give it a rest?!" she exploded. The simple conversation turned into a full blown fight. Harry watched them bicker for a few minutes, until the three-legged stool and raggedy old Sorting Hat were brought out by Professor McGonagall. Everyone stopped talking, even Ron and Hermione, to cheer. The scared first years were brought onto the stage, and then the Hat began to sing.  
  
Welcome back to a brand new year! I surely hope it's full of cheer!  
  
But first, we must put some things aside Like the little first years here for the ride  
  
They will be sorted magnificently Because they will be sorted, of course, by me!  
  
Will they be a Hufflepuff, patient and true? Or will they be a Gryffindor, always loyal to you?  
  
Or perhaps they belong in Slytherin for their power? Or maybe in Ravenclaw, where cleverness is the desire?  
  
It doesn't matter where they go! For in them, their talents will truly show!  
  
Everyone clapped for the wonderful Sorting Hat's song, then turned to the nervous little faces on stage. One of them particularly drew his attention: a girl with long, dark hair. She wasn't much different from the rest, since she seemed the same height. But, her face gave her the appearance of being much older, and she seemed to have refused to put on the uniform under her cloak. Instead, she wore a violet dress. He watched as the Professor McGonagall went down the list, until the one girl who held Harry's fascination was left on stage.  
  
"This year, we have a very special surprise. A new student who has been educated in America has come to us," announced Professor McGonagall, a smile curling on her lips. Everyone held their breath. An American? At Hogwarts? Professor McGonagall continued. "She has been accepted by special honor by Dumbledore himself, to be placed immediately in the fifth year." Dumbledore nodded his head. "May I present to you a very special lady: Cassandra Takachi!" Clapping filled the hall. Harry and Hermione stood up in their chairs.  
  
"Cassie? I know her!" yelled Harry.  
  
"Bunnie? I know her!" yelled Hermione at the same time.  
  
"Wait a minute, you know her?" they both yelled, pointing at each other. They both looked back at the stage, where Cassandra Takachi was smiling back at them, and to the Ravenclaw table for some reason. Harry looked in that direction and saw Cho Chang clapping really hard. Cassie sat on the stool, and the Sorting hat was placed on her head. It slipped nearly over her whole head, and stayed there for a long time. Gee, Harry thought, she must be really hard to place. Suddenly the hat yelled out, "Gryffindor!" The whole Gryffindor table got up and clapped for her like they did for all the other first years, except they clapped even harder to have the special student in their house. Cassie came to Harry and Hermione and gave them a huge smile.  
  
"Told you I'd see you soon," she said smartly to them.  
  
"Oh my god! I can't believe it! We'll be roomies and everything!" an ecstatic Hermione yelled.  
  
"How come you didn't tell me you were going to Hogwarts?" Harry asked Cassie.  
  
"Well, I didn't know how I was going to state such a thing to the famous, and handsome, Harry Potter!" she said, grinning. She gave them both hugs, and then was caught by surprise when someone hugged her from behind.  
  
"Cassie-chan! How did you hide this from your big cousin?" Cho Chang said.  
  
"Not....by........getting.......my.......air.......cut.......off......,"Cass ie replied. Cho let go of her, and beamed at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  
  
"So, you're friends with my little cous here?" Cho said, giving Cassie a little push.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I didn't know you had a cousin, Cho," Harry said.  
  
"Well, she does," said Cassie happily.  
  
"She's more like a little sister to me, right Cass?" Cho said, putting her arm around Cassie's shoulder. "We even, live in the same place, and share the same pets!"  
  
"Remember those three cats, Harry?" Cassie asked. "Those are our cats. He he!" Suddenly, the Sorting Hat, which had been lying idle on its stool, exploded off of it, and into Hermione's hands.  
  
"You didn't Bunnie," Hermione said, eyes widening. "You couldn't have. You shouldn't have!"  
  
"Oh, but I did, Hermione! You shouldn't have traded me those Filibuster Fireworks for the Sailor Moon cards!" said Cassie, or rather, Bunnie with an evil grin. Harry caught on and glanced over to Malfoy, who was just as surprised as everyone in the room. There was quite a commotion about the exploding hat, and Harry took advantage of it to ask Cassie one last question.  
  
"You turned Malfoy into a dragon, didn't you?"  
  
"Yup! I did, after he used that lame pick-up line on me!" Cassie said, grinning wider.  
  
"That's my cousin," said Cho, who turned back to Harry and seemed to be looking him up and down. "You've changed, Harry!" she said happily.  
  
"I guess I did," Harry replied, rubbing the back of his head. Harry looked sideways, and saw the Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Dumbledore heading towards Cassie and Cho. "Run!" he yelled, but it was too late. The teachers had grabbed Cassie by the scruff of her neck and taken her away.  
  
"Ouch," the Sorting Hat mumbled while in Hermione's hands. "that really hurt...."  
  
Professor McGonagall got back earlier than the other teachers to get the feast started. She clapped her hands and the golden plates and goblets immediately filled to the brim with food and drink. Even Hermione couldn't resist the delicacies, and dug in without a second thought to S.P.E.W. Before the feast finished, Professor McGonagall called all the new prefects over to her. Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy all left their tables to talk with her. When they returned, Harry was curious about what the teacher had said to them.  
  
"Nothing much, Harry," Ron said. "She just told us to lead the first years up to the common rooms after the feast, and that we must be good role- models for them." Ron rolled his eyes. "That's a good one."  
  
"Yeah, and she also told us about our special perks. We still can stay in our old quarters with everyone else, but we have a special common room, and even a bath, all to ourselves!" Hermione added, bursting with glee. As soon as she said that, Cassie returned and sat next to them.  
  
"Oh dear, you must be so hungry!" Ginny said, talking to Cassie for the first time.  
  
"No, they gave me stuff to eat in Dumbledore's office," Cassie replied.  
  
"What happened?" Ron asked. A smile lit up Cassie's pretty face.  
  
"They said I was the first person in school history to almost get expelled on their first day!" she bubbled. "I've caused more trouble than the Marauders and the Weasley twins combined, they said! I don't know either, but that has got to be a great accomplishment! Oh, and they said that they didn't give detentions on the first week though, so I don't have to go to one!" Cassie smiled even more.  
  
"Wow, you sure are wild, err, what should we call you?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Hmm," Cassie thought. She looked up to the enchanted ceiling, which was currently sparkling with millions of stars. "I know! Just call me Cassie. My old friends back home already call me Bunnie. Plus, Cho already calls me that." She gave Ginny a smile.  
  
"Okay Cassie!" replied Ginny happily. Finally, Professor Dumbledore rang a little bell. Everyone directed their attention to the front of the hall.  
  
"A few last minute thoughts for my students. If you sneeze too hard, you could break one of your ribs. If you hold in the sneeze, you could rupture and damage your spleen. Thank you," Dumbledore said with his wholesome smile. Ron and Hermione led their first years up the stairs, giving them advice on how to get around Hogwarts, while Harry, Ginny, and Cassie tagged along behind them.  
  
"Do you know that the stairs move on their own sometimes? I read it in Hogwarts, A History," Hermione remarked matter-of-factly.  
  
"Oh, bloody hell. I knew it was coming," Ron said. "You just have to stick that bloody book into every conversation, don't you?" he said.  
  
"Ronald Weasley! That is no way to set a good example for our little first years!" said a shocked Hermione. And again, they fought, sort of scaring the little ones into thinking that their prefects were nuts.  
  
"Are they always like that?" Cassie whispered to Harry.  
  
"Unfortunately, yes," he whispered back. "It's only because they don't want to admit that they're madly in love with each other."  
  
"Well, we'll just have to do something about that, now won't we?" said Cassie, getting another evil smile. They giggled for a moment, and then found that they were right in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
  
"Passowrd?" the Fat Lady said. Hermione took a deep breath.  
  
"Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious," Ron said before Hermione could. Hermione shot him another evil glare, and crossed her arms as they led the first years into the warm Gryffindor common room. Like all first years on their first night, they went straight to bed. Ron and Hermione continued to fight, as Harry, Ginny, and Cassie watched on in awe.  
  
"Well, I've gotta go to bed now. See you in the morning!" Ginny said after 10 minutes passed.  
  
"We' should be going too, you know," said Cassie, tugging on Hermione's cloak.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, tugging on Ron's.  
  
"Fine then, we'll go, but this isn't over, Ron!" Hermione said. She then turned to her new friend, saying, "You know, I always did wonder why there we were one Gryffndor girl short..."  
  
"Can you imagine the nerve of that girl?" Ron said indignantly.  
  
"Aw, come now Ron. You don't think she' pretty when she's mad?" Harry said playfully.  
  
"Well, yeah, but...Harry, that's not the point!" Ron screamed.  
  
"Whatever, Ron. Let's get on to bed," Harry said, motioning upstairs.  
  
"Yeah, ok," Ron said, and he followed Harry upstairs to their room 


	6. Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires

Hello again, readers! Bunnie here with a brand spankin' new chapter! Oh, and before I forget.....thank you so much for reviewing guys! Thank you to Lia, Lunarian Amethyst, Lydia, Kitty, Tamika, and all those anonymous reviewers out there! *sniff* I feel so appreciated now.....oh, and very good comments too! Lunarian Amethyst, thanks so much for the constructive criticism, but I do have some explanations for what I have done so far.....where to start......Hmm.......I know Dumbledore is lenient.....and she did many things wrong on the first day, let me remind you......and even if what she has done so far doesn't seem very troublesome, well, you haven't seen what she can do yet! Teeheehee......:) Cya Later, peoples! ~bunnie  
  
OH!!!! WAIT!!! I remembered something......u don't have to review every chapter, but I guess it's okay if you do ( ************************************************************************  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Despite the late hour that everyone went to bed at, the students of Hogwarts were still up bright and early. Of course, that could be due to the events of the next morning......  
  
Harry was having a very pleasant dream about being in a meadow with some tiny furry woodland creature (think Geico commercial, with that woman and the Gecko), when he felt very hot. He woke up and got out of bed, wondering why there was so much heat. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he looked around the room. The other boys were also up and looking uncomfortable. Ron fanned himself as he walked over to Harry. His flaming red hair was plastered to his forehead.  
  
"Oi, Harry. What's wrong? Why is it so hot all of a sudden?" Ron mumbled, his shoulders sagging under the humidity.  
  
"I don't know, Ron," Harry said, walking to the window. He couldn't see very clearly, because he didn't have his glasses on, but what he did see was the sun rising over the Forbidden Forest. He wiped his forehead again, and looked back at Ron. Although Ron was just a blurred silhouette to Harry's bad vision, Harry was able to determine a look of awe, perhaps even of fright on his best friend's face. Harry sensed something terribly wrong, and ran to get his glasses from the nightstand next to his bed. He put his glasses on with his back to the window, then turned around. But, the sun was not rising anymore. The burning light that had caught Harry's, and the rest of the boys', eyes was none other than a....  
  
"FIRE!!!" yelled Hermione as she burst into the boys' room in her pajamas. The boys stood, dazed for a moment, still staring at the burning horizon. "Hello?! FIRE!!!!!" Hermione yelled once again, and she took a pitcher of water from next to one of the beds and threw it on Ron.  
  
"Hey, what'd you do that for?" Ron said, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Earth to Ron! There is a fire burning up the Forbidden Forest! If we don't go over there and help put it out, then it will reach Hagrid's hut, the greenhouse, the Quidditch Field, and pretty soon, Hogwarts itself!" Hermione took a few deep breaths. She then tugged on Harry, Ron, Dean, and Seamus out the door and down the stairs, where the rest of the Gryffindor's were waiting.  
  
"As a prefect of Gryffindor House, I order all of you to stay here in the Common Room until we are sure that the threat of the fire is gone!" Hermione announced. "C'mon Ron" she added, tugging on Ron again, but this time to lead him where the staffwas already trying to douse the flames. "Harry!" she yelled as they were going through the portrait hole. "You're in charge until we get back, okay?"  
  
"Okay!" Harry yelled at them as they disappeared. He was overwhelmed with the passing events, and looked around the round room. He thought of what he should do next, then an idea popped into his head.  
  
"Where are the first years? First years, please come forward!" he shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth. Some nervous little children stepped forward. Harry counted them. "Five girls and five boys. Good. Now, second years, please!" he yelled again. Again, he counted, and continued to count, noting that no one was missing from the five girls and boys of each of the years. That is, until he got to the fifth year. He counted off the boys first. But, one was missing, and it wasn't Ron.  
  
"Has anyone seen Neville?!" he yelled out over the crowd. There was low hum of mumbling as Dean's eyes grew wider and wider.  
  
"Hermione forgot him....still in room...." Dean said shakily.  
  
"Stay here, everyone!" Harry said urgently as he ran back up the stairs to where his dorm was. He opened the door and looked inside to see Neville still staring out the window.  
  
"It's still dark! I don't get what the whole commotion about a bloody fire is about," he said. He turned to Harry, who saw immediately why Neville had no clue what was going on. Harry ran to Neville, and pulled off the black night shade that he had strapped on his eyes. Neville blinked a couple of times, and turned back the window. He seemed to shrink as he saw what was really going on. Harry pulled him out of the room and away from the heat. They went downstairs, as Harry continued taking the roll call of Gryffindors.  
  
"Three girls for the fifth year. The fourth is Hermione," Harry said, ticking off the numbers in his head. "No, wait a second. I think we're missing someone....."  
  
"Don't worry, Harry!" Seamus said. "You remember, there's always been one less girl in our year." Harry considered this for a moment, combing back his hair from his forehead with his fingers. He put his hands on his hips, deep in thought. Then, without warning, he took off through the portrait hole.  
  
"Where's he goin'?" said a sleepy Fred from the back of the group. "Yeah, what's the fire?" George added. Everyone turned around and stared at them. One person pointed to an available window. The twins walked to it and stared outside.  
  
"AHH!!!!! Someone has gotten into our secret stash!!!!" they both yelled. Then, they both keeled over, unconscious.  
  
Alicia and Angelina ran up to them, catching them. They then hauled the heavy seventh years out of the portrait hole and towards the hospital wing. Lavender and Parvati looked out the window.  
  
"There goes last year's boyfriend," Lavender remarked, pointing to a small speck running towards the fire.  
  
Harry was running towards the teachers, headboys and girls, and the prefects that were trying desperately to put out the flames. He looked around wildly.  
  
"Harry! What are you doing here?" Hermione said, stopping to look at Harry. "And what's wrong?" she said, her ash-covered face growing sympathetic.  
  
"Cassie. She's missing. And I think I know why," Harry said gruffly. He then ran into an opening in the forest fire.  
  
"Harry!" Ron yelled, realizing what had just happened. He ran in after Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes, and followed in after Ron.  
  
Harry ran deep into the forest, when at once he realized that he didn't have his wand with him. He ignored it and ventured deeper and deeper into the woods. A little rabbit darted out in front of him, then hopped frantically to his left. Harry decided to run after it, and ended up in a clearing surrounded by fire.  
  
"Harry!" yelled a voice from behind him. Harry turned and saw Ron and Hermione panting hard. Ron leaned over and placed his hands on his knees. "Man, Harry. You had to run in......you had to save her....."  
  
"What do you mean save her? I ran in to save everyone else from her!" he huffed, looking around. In one corner, next to a burning bush, he saw several figures crouching down. Harry motioned for Ron and Hermione to be quiet and follow him. They inched closer and closer. Harry could feel his heart beating faster and faster. What if this was the work of Voldemort? Was Cassie one of the Dark Lord's Minions? All these thoughts ran through his head as they finally got in hearing distance. Harry, Ron, and Hermione crouched behind another bush. "Thank you so much, sweetie, for bringing us those goodies," sneered that all too familiar drawling voice. Harry looked over the bush to see Malfoy, pinching the cheek of an unconscious Cassie, Crabbe and Goyle laughing idiotically at something they didn't even understand. "Now all we have to do is run out and blame it on the little Mudblood. Maybe they'll come save her, maybe they won't," Malfoy said, getting up and walking towards the opening in the burning clearing. Harry felt the anger welling up in him as Malfoy passed by the bush hiding Hermione, Ron, and him. He was about to pounce when Ron pulled him back.  
  
"Relax, Harry," Hermione said with a little smile. "I got it all recorded." She held up her hand, which had a little quill and parchment madly taking notes. "I stole it form Rita." Harry nodded, and they watched as Malfoy walked out with his two lackeys behind him.  
  
As soon as they had left, Harry rushed out and picked up Cassie. She groaned as he carried her out, following behind Ron and Hermione who had gone ahead. As he reached the sunlight outside, he turned back to see the Forbidden Forest, no longer on fire. Actually, it looked all black, but at least that was a major improvement. The teachers in their robes were crowded around in a circle. Harry got to them and listened for a moment.  
  
"When the twins came in, I went to check on Mr. Malfoy and how his face was doing, and he was gone!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, I see. I was checking the dorms this morning in the Slytherin tower and Crabbe and Goyle were missing too," said an unhappy Professor Snape.  
  
"This is a very grave and serious offense, boys," a stern Professor Dumbledore said. Harry pushed into the circle, still carrying Cassie, only to see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, their heads hung low to the ground.  
  
"Oh, thank goodness!" Professor McGonagall said, taking a look at Harry and Cassie. "We thought you two were lost for sure! Why, when Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger came running with this scandalous report, and said you were still in the forest, well, we thought we would never find you again!" Professor McGonagall hugged Harry, and Madame Pomfrey led them up to the hospital wing. Cassie was laid onto one of the beds, and was diagnosed with third degree burns. But, according to Madame Pomfrey, that was a minor injury that could be fixed lickety-split. Fred and George were up and about, complaining to the teachers that someone had stolen their personal belongings.  
  
"We know, we know," Professor Dumbledore explained. "It seems that Mr. Malfoy had forced our poor new student here to smuggle out your belongings. Just look at this recording that Ms. Granger artfully obtained." He held out the parhment, and Malfoy was revealed as the culprit.  
  
"Surely, you'll expell him then?" Hermione interrupted.  
  
"Afraid not. If we let him go, his father will have my head," Dumbledore said gloomily. Professor Snape seemed lightened by this, and the teachers exited.  
  
"Oh, and don't forget," said Professor McGonagall, peeking her head back in the door. "Classes begin in a couple of hours. I suggest you forget what has happened and go down to breakfast." She then left. Harry was shaken by all this. Go down to breakfast and forget about the fire?!  
  
"Is Cassie okay?" Hermione asked Madame Pomfrey.  
  
"Oh, don't worry so much about it dear," Madame Pomfrey said, waving Hermione away. "She'll be down to breakfast shortly. It's not the first time I've had to cure burns, thanks to those cauldron bottoms melting out. It's a wonder that the Ministry didn't catch up with it soon enough..." Ron rolled his eyes, remembering his dorky brother who had changed that cauldron bottom rule. Harry, Ron and Hermione headed up to their common room to see that everyone had already gotten ready and gone done to breakfast. They, too, got ready for the day. Harry looked out the window to see the real sun rising up this time. He sighed, then met Ron and Hermione in the common room. They were fighting about who did a better job. Harry laughed at them for a little bit, then headed out by himself to the Great Hall.  
  
He walked down the empty halls, and had a feeling of foreboding. His feelings were justified when he was nearly tackled by Ginny, who had a million and one questions about what had happened. Harry gladly answered each of them, and when her curiosity was satisfied, they walked into the Great Hall together. Harry waved goodbye to his little friend as she ran to meet some other fourth years.  
  
Harry plopped down next to Fred and George, who seemed to be down in the dumps. Probably unhappy that all their cool stuff is gone, thought Harry. He grabbed a roll and buttered it, then stuffed it into his mouth. Ron and Hermione came down presently.  
  
"I was the one that recorded the whole thing!" Hermione was saying.  
  
"You wouldn't have recorded it if I hadn't led you into the forest!" Ron yelled back.  
  
"It was such a bonehead thing to run into a forest on fire!" Hermione said as she sat down next to Harry.  
  
"Well, it saved our lives in the end, didn't it?" Ron snapped, sitting on the opposite side of the table, in front of Hermione.  
  
"Well, I think it was Harry who saved our butts today," chirped someone behind Harry. Harry turned around to receive a huge hug from an ecstatic, and healed, Cassie. "Thank you! Thank You! Thank you!" she said over and over again. She sat on the other side of Harry at the table and began to eat ravenously. Harry stared in amazement as she polished off five times as many rolls as he did. "Gee, someone's eating like they just came out of the desert after a 40-day fast!" came another voice. Cho Chang came down upon Cassie, hugging her so tight that Harry was sure that Cassie was suffocating. "Oh, my little cuz! I thought you were dead!" Cho squeezed even harder, and Cassie hugged back just as hard. Cho let go of her embrace, winked at Harry, and walked back to her table with the Ravenclaws. Had she just acknowledged him? Wow, he thought. Harry, now full of curiosity, turned back to Cassie and asked her some questions.  
  
"Are you okay now?" he asked.  
  
"Hell yeah!" she said, her mouth full of more rolls. Harry leaned closer.  
  
"Did they really blackmail you?" he whispered. Cassie shook her head, then nodded.  
  
"Umm...well, you see.....at the end they blackmailed me," she said hesitantly. "I was going to give everyone a call with the Filibuster Fireworks that I found behind some bricks in the wall. I was walking past the hospital wing with them in my arms, when Malfoy burst out of it and knocked me to the ground. He and those two goons of his forced me to go outside into the woods with them, and then lit the fireworks and caused the fire. The stupid blond then pointed his wand at me and said something that caused me so much pain, I felt like I was going to die....."  
  
"The Cruciatus Curse?" Harry asked, now concerned.  
  
"Yeah, that's what Malfoy said. What's a Mudblood? He called me that a lot and said he was just paying em back for ruining his perfect face."  
  
"Mudblood means that you don't have wizard parents," Hermione broke in. She had been eavesdropping all along. "I'm one too, so don't worry. It's just a derogatory word."  
  
"A what?" Harry asked.  
  
"It means it's a dirty word. Honestly, don't you study the dictionary?" Hermione said.  
  
"What, and be an egghead like you?" Ron said snidely. Hermione's eyes became dangerous slits.  
  
"I don't believe it," she said angrily. "Ronald Weasley has sunk down even lower." And she left as quickly as she could.  
  
"Wait! I didn't mean it! Honest!" yelled Ron, rushing after her and trying to catch up. Harry sighed again. Will they never learn?, he thought. 


	7. Oops, She Did it Again!

Psssst!! Hey, you! Yeah, I'm talking to you! It's bunnie again, with some more author's notes!!  
  
1)Thanks, everyone, for reviewing! *tear* It makes me feel so appreciated.....  
  
2)Don't worry about flaming me....constructive criticism is always welcome!  
  
3)This last chapter is going to change a little bit, so if you read chapter 7 before, this will be a little bit different...  
  
4)For those who are concerned about some minor details that I got wrong: I changed Dudley's age to 15 (I forgot that he and Harry are supposed to be the same age), and Hermione will use that super note-taking quill thing like that Rita Skeeter had instead of the microphone (I forgot that microphones aren't allowed at Hogwarts).  
  
Any problems? Review or email me! Bye for now! Bunnie :P  
  
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Chapter 7  
  
As soon as Ron and Hermione had left for wherever they were going, all the owls, private and school-owned alike, swooped in to deliver new schedules to the students. Harry watched as the owls moved faster, more urgently, as if they had some other business to take care of. Hedwig was one of the only owls to land and stay awhile with their masters before returning to the Owlery. She dropped off her letter, and started nibbling some of the remains of Harry's breakfast.  
  
Harry stroked her feathers, asking her, "Are some of the owls all hyped up from the fire this morning?" Hedwig merely gave a short hoot, grabbed the last half of a piece of bread, and flew back out a window. Harry looked at his schedule, and his face contorted in disgust. "Oh, great. We have all our classes with the Slytherins this year!"  
  
"What's so bad about that?" Cassie asked, her mouth full of Cheerios.  
  
"Do you know who the Slytherins are yet?" Harry asked the naive new girl. Cassie slowly shook her head. Harry then looked over to the Slytherin table, where Malfoy and his cronies were busy laughing at something or other. Cassie followed his lead and looked in that direction. She caught Malfoy's eye, who stared back at her and gave her a wink.  
  
"Disgusting," she said as she turned back to her cereal. "Did you say, all our classes are with them?"  
  
"Unfortunately, yes," Harry sighed. "But it's so strange. It's usually not like this. I mean, it's usually mixed, with some classes with the Hufflepuffs, some with Ravenclaws, and some with Slytherins. Not all the classes with the same houses."  
  
"Oh," Cassie replied nodding her head. Harry saw her eyes widen in surprise as she stared at something behind his head. Harry turned around and saw a tiny object swoop down through a window and zoom around the room. Right away, he knew it was Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl, from its frantic, excited movements. He guessed that the little thing had woken up late. Pig zoomed around the room a couple of times, and Harry got a little worried. He searched the room for Ron, hoping to find him somewhere in the crowd, when he heard some cheering erupt all around him. He whipped around to see Cassie standing on the table and triumphantly waving around her hand.  
  
"Cassie? You caught Pig?" he asked, amazed.  
  
"Huh? What's Pig?" she said, confused. Her question was followed by an immediate, "Ow!" as Pig pecked at her hand from inside it. Cassie got down fromt he table and released the miniscule messenger into Harry's hands, where, it deposited Ron's schedule and rapidly took off for the window. Harry watched as Pig flew towards the wall, banged against it, then fly through the opening.  
  
"That thing's vicious!" Cassie grumbled as she got back in her seat, rubbing her hand.  
  
"Yeah, I reckon Ron's taught him a few bad habits already," Harry said, putting his best friend's schedule with his own. As Cassie shoveled the rest of the cereal into her mouth, Ginny rushed over, waving another schedule.  
  
"Harry! I got Hermione's schedule!" she squealed, running down to where Harry was sitting. Harry felt a little burdened to have three schedules with him, but gladly accepted it when Ginny handed it over. Ginny lingered for a moment, smiling at Harry, when that tell-tale voice came to Harry's ear again.  
  
"Awww. I see the little Weasel has finally won over the Boy Who Lived. What a charming match that will make," sneered Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle laughed stupidly, not even understanding the joke their leader had made. Harry narrowed his eyes towards them, anger growing inside him by the minute, while Ginny became a very dark shade of red. Malfoy turned his glare to Cassie. "And if it isn't the little fire starter herself!"  
  
"She didn't start it!" Harry said defensively. He looked over to Cassie, who was cringing, with a look of impending doom in her eyes. "Hermione got it all down! You blackmailed her!"  
  
"How do you know that, Potter?" Malfoy spat. "How do you know that I wasn't trying to save some lives by taking her out of the picture?"  
  
"What do you mean, 'save some lives'? She wouldn't hurt a fly, would you Cassie?" Ginny said, standing up for her new friend. Cassie shrunk even more in her seat.  
  
"Thanks to her and her evil exploits, I can't be prefect anymore!" Malfoy yelled back at the three Gryffindors. Harry was stunned, but sort of pleased that Malfoy had actually gotten punished for his dastardly deeds. Although he knew he shouldn't have enjoyed it, he watched with relish as Malfoy stomped back to his own table, enraged that he had leaked out news of his own demotion. But, Harry couldn't help thinking how much of what Cassie had told him was the truth, and how much was a lie in concordance with what Malfoy had said. After all, Malfoy was one of the best liars at Hogwarts. But, who knew how good a liar Cassie was? Harry thought this over as he headed over to the library with the girl in question to find Ron and Hermione.  
  
  
  
As expected, both were in the library. Harry and Cassie entered, and saw their two friends straight away, sitting at one of the tables. Ron and Hermione were actually getting along, no yelling, no silent treatment, no nothing. They were actually sitting pretty close to each other, talking in low voices. Harry saw straight away what was happening and pulled Cassie behind a bookshelf near the couple.  
  
"Hey! I've had enough abuse for the day, thank you very much!" Cassie complained angrily.  
  
"Shh!" Harry whispered hastily to her. "Look! Don't you see what's happening?" Cassie again shook her head. Geez, Harry thought to himself, This girl really has no clue about anything. Heremoved some of the books and looked through them to see a perfect framed picture of Ron and Hermione being nice to each other. Then, he gestured to Cassie to look through. She rolled her eyes, thinking, This is so stupid, until she looked at her new friends together at last.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" she said jumping up and down and clapping her hands silently. "How cute!" Harry watched her cautiously as she continued to skip up and down their aisle of books until she stopped dead in her tracks. Cassie literally froze in mid skip, then stood still, like normal.  
  
"What's wrong?" Harry asked. Cassie just turned around and had that look of fear on her face again.  
  
"When Ron and Hermione were fighting this morning, I.......did something," she said slowly.  
  
"Cassie, you didn't," Harry said, his green eyes also growing large in terror.  
  
"I did," she said sheepishly, biting at her fingernail. After a few seconds of Cassie fidgeting and Harry worrying, a crash was heard on the other side of their bookcase. Harry and Cassie peeked around the bookshelf to see Hermione all black, staring daggers at Ron, while poor Ron was trying to explain that it wasn't him. While they started their yelling again, Harry pulled Cassie back around the bookcase.  
  
"I'm so sorry! I meant that little bomb to be for Ron, because I thought he was being so despicable towards Mione!" she pleaded.  
  
"Don't worry about it. There's been worse," Harry said, trying to console her. "I pulled you back so you wouldn't get blamed. So, I'll get them their schedules and you stay here, out of trouble, alright?" Cassie nervously nodded her head, still biting her fingernail. Harry, meanwhile, emerged from behind the bookcase to give the schedules to an angry Ron and an even angrier Hermione. Both, surprisingly, stopped their bellyaching and stared at their schedules.  
  
"Bloody hell! We have all our classes with the Slytherins?!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Mine's even worse! All my classes have been cut out!" Hermione said, her hands still covered in ash shaking a little bit.  
  
"Let me take a look," Harry said. He hadn't really looked at the other schedules he had brought and was curious. Looking down the list of courses, he squinted his eyes. "Hermione, there's nothing wrong with it! Me and Ron have all the same classes a you, right Ron?" Ron simply nodded.  
  
"No, that's not the point!" Hermione whined. "They took out my Ancient Runes class! And my Muggle Studies! And my Arithmancy class! And they replaced it with, ugh, Divination." She made a face at the mere thought of being with the eccentric Professor Trelawney again. "And what's even worse! We have her first! I might as well wash off now that a certain Weasley had the nerve to set a Dungbomb on me! I hope I don't smell for too long!"  
  
"Hermione, for God's sakes, I didn't do it! Besides, now I'm gonna smell too!" Ron screamed at her as she marched out of the library.  
  
"No kidding," Harry said playfully, holding his nose.  
  
"Oh, bug off Harry. Who knows how that bomb got into Hermione's robes! It was probably Fred or George. They had about a million of those hidden somewhere in this castle," Ron said, now contemplating where his older brothers might have hidden the good stuff. Harry then knew right away that he was the only one who had discovered that Cassie had raided that very hiding place the night before. He looked back to the bookshelf, where he could see a little bit of Cassie peeking around to watch. She saw Harry staring back and quickly slid back around the bookshelf.  
  
"I guess I should find those two before classes start in..." Ron began, glancing at his watch. "Blimey! We only have 10 minutes to get to our classes! See ya there, Harry!" Ron ran out of the library. Harry looked back at Cassie and motioned for her to come out. She nodded, coming out with a vulnerable look on her face.  
  
"Well, I still have Hermione's schedule," she said meekly. "I think she went back to our room."  
  
"Okay, then. Let's go. We have to get our books for the first class of the day anyway," Harry said calmly. As he walked her to their common room, he couldn't help thinking if Cassie was this dangerous on purpose or if by accident. Either way, at least he knew that she was truly sorry for whatever she did wrong.  
  
"Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious," Cassie said quietly when they had reached the Fat Lady.  
  
"What was that? I couldn't hear what you said dear," the Fat Lady replied. Cassie looked down to the floor.  
  
"She said, "Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious" ma'm," Harry said, putting his arm around Cassie's shoulder and leading her inside the common room. Cassie still seemed shaken by recent events and plopped down in one of the armchairs as soon as she got inside. "Relax," Harry said. "Honest mistake, right? You didn't mean to hurt them or anything?"  
  
"Yeah, but I feel so rotten. I actually didn't know what those things would do. I was just looking for more of those Filibuster fireworks that Hermione had given me, and I found that stuff too." Cassie started biting her fingernails again, avoiding Harry's gaze. Harry's suspicions of her dissolved away as he watched the terrified little girl rocking back and forth in her chair nervously. She looks so innocent, how could she be capable of anything evil?, he thought to himself.  
  
"Just calm down, take the schedule to Hermione, and get your books," Harry said, pulling her out of her chair. "Remember," he yelled at her as she went up the stairs, "We have Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall first."  
  
"Okay," she mumbled as she went inside her room. Harry sighed, went to his own room, and retrieved his book from the trunk beside his own four poster bed.  
  
  
  
Transfiguration, was as usual, a bit challenging. In class, they were turning normal garden rocks into rock candy.  
  
"Last time I'm eating any of that stuff," Cassie remarked to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She received a host of giggles which immediately lifted up her spirits. For the rest of the day, she was smiling and giggling like her usual self, at least according to Hermione. Come the end of class, Hermione approached Professor McGonagall's desk. "Professor McGonagall, may I ask you a question?" she rattled out hurriedly. Professor McGonagall, dazed and weary, looked up from some papers she had been reviewing.  
  
"Yes, Ms. Granger," she said, trying to smile.  
  
"Professor, how come all my classes are gone?" Hermione said.  
  
"And how come we have to have all our classes with the Slytherins?" Ron said with disdain in his voice.  
  
"Hmm, I wonder who said that. Must have been the wind!" Hermione snapped. "Well, anyway, about my question, Professor?" Ron went so red, he was almost maroon. Professor McGonagall looked as if she was trying to stifle a chuckle.  
  
"Well, Ms. Granger," she replied with a genuine smile across her face. "It's a simple safety precaution. Everyone will now take the same classes with the same people, so it may be easier for us teachers to keep track of you."  
  
"But, how will that be safer, Professor?" Harry interrupted.  
  
"No questions, Mr. Potter. It just is," Professor McGonagall sternly said. She was now frowning at them. "Off you go. Your next class will start soon," she said, shooing them out of the classroom.  
  
"Safer, or not safer, I don't like it," Ron said as they walked in the hallways to the highest tower.  
  
"Tell me about it," Cassie replied. "I can't stand that little ferret staring at me the whole day."  
  
"Oh, Malfoy?" Hermione said. "It's a funny story, because he really was a ferret for a day." She looped their arms together and led Cassie away from the boys to their next class to tell her about the time a teacher had actually transfigured Malfoy into a ferret and bounced him up and down the halls. Divination was the next class up. Since there usually weren't two houses in the stuffy room at the same time, it was even more crammed than ever. Three or four people sat at a table at a time.  
  
Hermione and Cassie were already sitting at a table near the back when Ron and Harry came in through the trapdoor on the floor. The two teenage wizards took seats next to their friends at the same table. The four were engaging in a lovely conversation about Hogsmeade, when Malfoy and his two thugs entered. Malfoy made his way to the back of the room and took a seat at the table right next to Harry's. Harry and Ron groaned, and positioned their chairs so that they weren't facing the snobby pureblood.  
  
"What's this class about?" Cassie asked cheerfully. Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's a class taught by a quack who thinks she knows how to tell the future," she said sarcastically.  
  
"She's not a quack!" Lavender and Parvati yelled in unison from their table at the front of the room. As soon as they said that, Professor Trelawney entered in her usual, breezy way. The teacher with the appearance of a dragonfly with her too-big glasses swooped in upon her class and started explaining the year's course. Fortunately, it would be the same as the two years before. The poor Divination teacher had always failed to issue new material, and so Harry and Ron definitely knew what would be on every test and quiz. This would be a piece of cake.  
  
As usual, they did the teacups again. And of course, Professor Trelawney had to predict the death of Harry within the first ten minutes of the class. All twenty students already knew how unreliable her predictions were, and ignored whatever she had said about deaths, except, of course, for Lavender and Parvati. When their favorite teacher had pronounced Harry doomed, they looked fearfully at the boy and started weeping.  
  
"Gee, I wonder if they would cry if I were the one dying," Ron complained.  
  
"You just watch," Harry said. He switched cups with Ron, then yelled out, "Professor Trelawney! You've got it all wrong! That was Ron's cup you were looking at, not mine!"  
  
"Oh, dear! That means Mr. Weasley will soon leave us!" Professor Trelawney sai, her spindly hand resting on her chest. Lavender and Parvati stopped their wailing for a moment, looked at Ron, then cried harder than ever.  
  
"I told you so," Harry whispered to Ron.  
  
"Told me what?" Ron answered back.  
  
"I'm not the only girl magnet here!"  
  
"You better hope not, or that would be bloody pathetic," Malfoy said from the other table.  
  
"Bet no one would cry if you had a death sentence!" Cassie retorted.  
  
"Oh really? I though for sure you would, baby," Malfoy said. He blew her a kiss.  
  
"Ugh, don't make me throw up," she said, making a motion as if to swat the kiss away from her.  
  
"You know you want me," Malfoy said with a smile across his face.  
  
"Yeah right," Cassie said, turning back to her cup.  
  
"Miss Takachi! Mr. Malfoy! If I catch you talking in my class again, it's detention for both of you!" Professor Trelawney uttered loudly. Harry was surprised at what the teacher had said. The Divination professor was not usually so quick to give out detentions. 


	8. Class Clash

Chapter 8  
  
The second day of school was much calmer than the hectic panic of the first. The classes of the day were Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, a couple of easy ones in Harry's opinion. That is, until Professor Sprout announced a special project that all her 5th year classes would be participating in.  
  
"Now, who knows what a Venus Fly Trap is?" Professor Sprout asked.  
  
"Isn't that a plant that eats bugs? I thought many Muggles owned them?" Cassie said all in one breath. Professor Sprout looked from Cassie to Hermione, who merely nodded her head.  
  
"I thought they weren't magical," Harry whispered to Ron. Ron eyes grew wider as he shook his head.  
  
"No, Miss Takachi. Venus Fly Traps are indeed magical. Muggles would never notice it however...." Professor Sprout started with a disappointed sigh.  
  
"Well, then, what's so magical about them?" Cassie inquired.  
  
"I'm glad you asked that. Half the wizards in the world do not fully know the magic contained in the Venus Fly Trap. Do you know where the most beautiful fairies come from?" Professor Sprout said, smiling a little bit. Half the class shook their head, and half nodded. "For those of you that don't know, the Venus Fly Trap, eats fire flies as well as normal flies. When it has eaten enough, it will close up very tight and swell up. At night, it will reopen again to release this....." Professor Sprout pointed to a covered cage.  
  
"That's not.....a pixie in there is it Professor?" Seamus asked with a gulp.  
  
"No, no Mr. Finnigan. It happens to be a Venus Fairy." The teacher withdrew the curtain from the cage to reveal a glowing, human-like form with wings like a butterfly. "Since they hatch at night and only come out at night when near humans, they are rarely seen. If they are, they are quickly mistaken for the fireflies that fed the mother flower."  
  
"Oh! It's so pretty!" exclaimed Hermione.  
  
"I want one!" Parvati said, equally excited.  
  
"Well, that's just too bad, because that one in the cage is going to be mine, all mine!" a bratty Pansy snapped at the Gryffindors.  
  
"Calm down, calm down!" Professor Sprout said as the Venus Fairy in the cage stopped fluttering about to rest on the bottom of her new home. "You will each get one with the task of taking care of it in your Care of Magical Creatures class!" All the girls cheered at once, while some of the boys groaned.  
  
"Professor, do we have to?" whined one of the male Slytherins.  
  
"Yes! It is required! We ordered these plants especially for you!" she said, motioning to the rows of Venus Fly Traps in the back. "You will care and grow them in this class, and learn how to take care of them in Professor Hagrid's class!" More giggling from the girls and groans of despair from the boys. The rest of the class was spent on discussing the summer's homework, while Hagrid's class, Care of Magical Creatures, was no less fun.  
  
"Open yer textbooks to page 173 and look at that picture. That is a Venus Fairy," Hagrid said. He seemed less enthusiastic about something that didn't have fangs or wasn't fifty feet tall. "It has special healing powers, a blessing from the Goddess of Beauty herself," the half-giant droned on.  
  
"Oh! So they were named after Venus? Or Aphrodite in Greek Mythology?" Cassie said at once. "How about the other gods and goddesses? Did they bless some magical creatures too?"  
  
"No," said Hagrid pathetically as he continued to lecture on about the benefits of owning the rare magical creature. And the class dragged on even longer. Cassie sighed and took out her CD player and a pair of headphones. She began to listen to some American hip hop. Harry just stared at her and the rest of his classmates, as they fell asleep as they sat in the grass outside of Hagrid's hut. Hermione was the only attentive one, sitting down with her back straight, eating up every word and storing it for later use. Hagrid noticed the class had died, but didn't seem to mind at all. He shut his book loudly, which shook everyone out of their dreams.  
  
"Class dismissed early," he said with a smile. The class slowly got up to trudge back to the class half-awake.  
  
"For once, the great oaf did something right," Malfoy mumbled, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"What was that?" Harry said, advancing towards the enemy.  
  
"Nothing...too tired to fight," Malfoy replied. He, Crabbe, and Goyle sleepily walked to the castle as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Cassie approached Hagrid, who was packing away the book he was lecturing from.  
  
"Hey, Hagrid. I haven't talked to you since we arrived!" Harry said, looking up into the eyes buried in the mass of hair on Hagrid's head.  
  
" 'Arry! How 're yeh doin'?" Hagrdid said happily. "An who is this?" Hagrid cast his beetle black eyes on Cassie, who was cowering a little bit. "It's our new student! I remember yeh!" He gave a her a big hug.  
  
"I...can't.....breathe...." Cassie managed to get out. "Please....."  
  
"Oh, sorry there," Hagrid apologized, letting her down. He turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Yeh treat yer new friend well, 'eh? Dumbledore tells me that this one's a special one, she is." He clapped Cassie on the shoulder. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground. "Oops, sorry again!" Hagrid said, helping Cassie back up. Harry laughed. Poor Cassie was being put on the spot.  
  
"I think we better go now," Hermione said, taking Cassie by the hand. "Bunnie....I mean, Cassie and I need to go study now......" She tugged at Cassie's hand and the two ran up to the castle.  
  
"So, how're yeh boys doing? Found any girlfriends yet?" Hagrid said with a wink. Harry and Ron both blushed, shaking their heads. "Yeh will, yeh will," he said, with a glint in his eye as he looked in the distance at Cassie and Hermione climbing up the front steps.  
  
"How about you Hagrid? Any luck with Madame Maxime?" Ron asked. Hagrid blushed, remembering the beautiful headmaster of Beaxbatons. She was just as big as he was.  
  
"Yeah," he said, shuffling his feet. "We spent a lot of time together tryin' to persuade them other giants to be on our side.....It worked in more ways then one....." He gave them a smile. "Now go and find yer other friends now," Hagrid said, shooing them away.  
  
Harry and Ron gave Hagrid a couple of smiles as they headed back to the castle. "Speaking of Beaxbatons," Harry started. "How about you and Fleur? I thought you said you two sorta....you know...talked over the summer....."  
  
"Err, not really. Just a few letters.....I bet Hermione and that Viktor Krum sent a lot more letters to each other..." Ron replied in a bitter manner. Harry shrugged and stayed silent the rest of the way to the common room.  
  
The third day was worse, because it meant Double Potions with the meanest teacher at Hogwarts, the Potionmaster Severus Snape.  
  
"Welcome back students," he said, more irritated than usual. Harry guessed that he was still pissed off from what Dumbledore had sent him to do over the summer. Snape had probably not succeeded, from what Harry could tell from the scars littering the professor's sallow skin. "Today," he continued aggravatedly, "We will be mixing a potion called colos alteramentum. Can anyone tell me its chemical properties?" Hermione's and Cassie's hands both shot up into the air simultaneously. From the other side of the dungeon-like classroom, some of the Slytherin girls were coughing incoherent phrases such as "suck up" and "teacher's pet." Professor Snape rolled his eyes.  
  
"Let's pick on the new girl then. Miss Takachi, please stand up and give your answer to the class....." With great fluorish, the little girl stood up. She wasn't much taller standing up than many of her classmates that remained seated.  
  
"Colos alteramentum changes the color of whatever it touches. Sometimes, Muggles will use it to color their hair, not knowing that too much will make their hair fall out," Cassie recited as if reading from a textbook.  
  
"Right answer, Miss Takachi. However, I must take ten points from Gryffindor, because you yourself have altered your hair using this potion!" Snape said with glee. Cassie scrunched up her face.  
  
"But, why professor?"  
  
"Because you dyed your hair purple, you git!" yelled Pansy from behind her. Pansy and her gang of friends started giggling uncontrollably. Cassie paused for a moment, still standing up, then pulled her long hair out of the bun she had it in. She examined it for a moment, not noticing that all eyes, including Harry's, were still upon her. The bright purple streaks still shone brightly against her raven black hair in the dark room. She squinted her eyes then blinked a few times.  
  
Turning back to the teacher, who was busy preparing some ingredients on his own desk, she yelled out, "Professor! But, I didn't dye my hair! It's natural! Just ask my cousin, Cho! She can tell you! My mother had pink streaks in her hair, and her mother before that had yellow!" She continued on and on, making every possible argument, her mouth going a million miles per hour in that squeeky tone of hers. Professor Snape turned angrily around, fire blazing in his eyes. The rest of the class grew silent as they watched the Potionmaster stare down the girl.  
  
"Well, then, Miss Takachi," he said calmly, much to the surprise of the rest of the class. "We can just test your hair later. I myself will brew a potion to prove whether the color is natural or not. But ten points will still be taken away for your disgraceful manner in dressing." He motioned to her uniform. "Shirt untucked, sweater tied around the waist. Why, that is a flagrant uniform infraction Miss Takachi!" The rest of the class gasped, while most of them struggled to get themselves back in order. Harry retucked his own shirt as Hermione slyly unwrapped the sweater from around her own waist. Cassie, speechless, fixed her own uniform and sat back down in silence.  
  
At the end of the class, they tested their potions on some parchment. Harry's turned emerald green, while Ron's was a brilliant orange.  
  
"Chudley Cannons," Ron said with a grin. Harry laughed a little, until Snape announced that his own brew was done. He was going to test Cassie's hair with the potion that he had made himself. Malfoy was commanded to take the ladle and spoon it on the ends of Cassie's hair. Malfoy, with a smirk on his face, went to the front of the class with Cassie. Harry caught Snape giving him a wink as Malfoy took the potion and began to pour. Harry put his hand to his mouth as the potion made a hissing sound.  
  
"It's acid!" Hermione screamed, and she and Harry ran up to pull the singed ends of Cassie's locks away from the laughing men.  
  
"Well, Miss Takachi," Professor Snape said with a chuckle. "It looks like your hair hasn't been dyed, or else it wouldn't have burned as it did. And let me use this as a warning and reminder to you all." He cast his eyes on the Gryffindors, who were watching on in shock as Harry and Hermione tried to console Cassie. "Defy me and pay the consequences. Harry and Hermione had Cassie in the corner and were desperately trying to make her feel better. They both had their arms around the sobbing girl, as the rest of the class was dismissed.  
  
"It's really okay, Cass," Hermione said sympathetically. "It just got to the ends of your hair, see?" Hermione held up the singed hair that was lying on Cassie's shoulder. Cassie took one look and buried her face in her hands again, crying even harder. Harry, speechelss, looked over to Malfoy, who had a look of triumph written all over his face. And right behind him was Ron. Harry watched as Ron tapped Malfoy on the shoulder, then decked him with all his might. Crabbe and Goyle came to Malfoy's aid, holding the red head back from their boss.  
  
"Why? Why did you do that? She hasn't done anything to you!" Ron spat out as the two thugs held him back.  
  
"On the contrary. The little mudblood has done plenty," Malfoy said coldly. Harry felt the anger well up inside him. The helpless girl had not meant to do any harm with any of her pranks, at least Harry hoped so. Harry didn't know what to do, afraid that he would burst with anger. So, without thinking, he grabbed a cauldron and flung it at Malfoy's head. The contents spilled all over the laughing Slytherin, drenching Malfoy from head to toe.  
  
"Blimey, Harry," Ron said, still restrained by Malfoy's cronies. Harry watched in shock. What had he just done?!  
  
"Potter, your gonna get it!" Malfoy said, as he jumped onto Harry, wrestling him to the ground. Harry struggled under the weight of his foe, keeping his eyes closed as he tried to get the wet Malfoy off of him. "You and your stupid, idiotic friends have done it this time!" As he raised his fist to give Harry a good punch in the face, Harry opened up one eye. What he saw caused him to erupt in uncontrollable laughter.  
  
Malfoy, confused, looked to Ron, who was also laughing. Crabbe and Goyle had their usual confused looks on their faces. Malfoy then stared at the two girls. Hermione was covering her mouth and rocking back and forth in glee. Cassie slowly removed her hands from her face to get a look, and started laughing as well, forgetting about her hair. Malfoy looked back down at his captive.  
  
"Wha'ts so funny, Potter?" he asked indignantly. Harry took his opportunity and caught Malfoy off guard by pushing him off. Harry got up and glanced back at Malfoy still on the ground.  
  
"Malfoy's a smurf!" Cassie yelled out. She started hopping up and down around the now empty dungeon. "A big, blue smurf!" Malfoy, horrified, turned his glare back at Harry. Harry had already gone into Hermione's bag.  
  
"You have a mirror in here, don't you Herm?" he said, still searching. Harry looked to his best friend, who nodded her head. Harry whipped out her mirror a couple of seconds later and flashed it in front of Malfoy's face. Malfoy saw a blue face with blue hair reflected back.  
  
"AHHHHHH!!!" he yelled, screaming like a girl as he ran out of the room. Crabbe and Goyle exchanged looks and followed their master out. Cassie was still bouncing around and clapping her hands, chanting, "Malfoy's a Smurf! A big, ugly Smurf!" Hermione, still laughing, took out her wand and mumbled something, pointing it at Cassie. Sparks shot out of her wand and to Cassie's ruined hair. When the sparks departed, her hair was repaired. But, Cassie didn't seem to take notice as she continued jumping around, cheering.  
  
"The things we'll do for them," Ron said as he arrived at Harry's side, rubbing his arms. Harry nodded his head slowly as the two girls started talking rapidly, Cassie rattling on about how that blue potion was hers, and Hermione trying to explain that Cassie's hair was back to normal.  
  
Thursday and Friday weren't much different, save the different classes. Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts came on Thursday, along with the fantastic realiztion that Dumbledore had hired another ghost to fill the ever changing job position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Yet, this ghost was much more lively that Professor Binns, the teacher the teenagers had on Friday for History of Magic. Professor Brendaster was exciting and fun, and kept her students on their toes. And Malfoy stayed blue though out the whole week, much to the glee of the Gryffindors. 


	9. Bunnie finds a Kitty

An announcer goes up to the podium in front of millions of awaiting, anticipating eyes. "And the award for Best Author of the Day goes to.......bunnie!!" he says with a flourish.  
  
A girl with her black hair all in curls wearing a sparkling pink dress stands up and starts hyperventilating. She runs up to the stage, grabs the award from the awaiting presenter and wobbles up to the podium. "Thank you so much!" she says to a barrage of applause.  
  
"First of all, I would like to thank God above all things, my parents, my friends, and the reviewers!! They make all the difference! To Angel-4 ever: You like me! You really like me! To Alejandra: Thanks, girl!! By the way, I did write another chapter...I wrote like 8 more chapters! To Jereni: I love yooooooouuuuuuu!!! Thanks for reviewing! And, I know that Snape is out of character a bit, but you'll just have to keep reading to find out why! To Quicksilver Fallen: I am so glad you liked my fic! Your review really boosted up my confidence! And to Alicia: I know that my first chapter has a lot of Japanese anime stuff in it, but if you would have just taken the time to read the rest of my fic, you would have found out that there is a lot more to my fic! Besides, the anime will be worked in later....(Damn!! I just revealed a secret!! Note to self...no more slip-ups) To Meli: Thank you, I am a literary goddess! Thank you to all my readers! Please, keep reading and reviewing! It is much appreciated!"  
  
The small girl, tears streaking her cheeks, makes her way down the stage to the stairs. On the very first step down, she trips and tumbles over, rolling all the way down the steps, landing in a little, pretty pile on the floor as everyone gasps........  
  
*Okay, a bit random......but when I get an idea, I just have to roll with it!! One more note to go..........If you would please R&R every chapter, so that I can know if all my chapters are alright, then that would be great!! Reviewing every chapter also helps me to know that you are still reading my stuff....and boosts my self esteem!! Who doesn't need a boost in self esteem now?* ~bunnie  
  
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Chapter 9  
  
The end of the very first, taxing week of school finally ended, but no without a load of homework assigned for the weekend. Cassie and Hermione earned some free time of their own to go take a tour of the castle by completing all their assignments way ahead of time, leaving Ron and Harry to finish theirs by themselves. They were back to predicting what would happen to them in the future month.  
  
"Hmmm, I'll meet with an old friend on this day," Ron said, sucking on the end of his quill. "And, I'll take a fall on this other day here..."  
  
"I think I'll have a close brush with death here," Harry said, scribbling it in his calendar. "And, maybe I'll lose something important on this day......maybe not," he said, scratching out something else. "Quidditch match is scheduled for that day...."  
  
"Hey Harry, what about Quidditch? Any positions open?" Ron said, his curiosity peaked. Harry cleared his desk of all the papers and took out the roster that Professor McGonagall, also the head of Gryffindor House, had given him. Hs scanned the list.  
  
"Well, Fred and George are graduating this year, along with Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson, the three Chasers. I'm the seeker....which means that there's one position open! Ron, you can try out!" Harry said excitedly. Ron eyes lit up.  
  
"Do you really think so?" he said, his mouth gaping.  
  
"Well, yeah! Let's see.....we can have tryouts for our Keeper in two weeks, so that our new player can have a chance to practice before our first match in November," Harry said, making a note in his roster. Ron nodded and grabbed his things. "Where are you going?" Harry asked, getting up as well.  
  
"I'm going to go practice, of course! Do you think Fred and George will mind if I use one of their broomsticks?" Ron said as he got out of the room through the portrait hole.  
  
"I don't think so, but it's worth a try!" Harry yelled, following his best friend out. They ran down to the Great Hall, knowing that it was dinnertime, and that the twins never missed dinner. The two boys slowed down and stopped for a couple of minutes to take a breather.  
  
"You think they're there?" Harry said in between gasps for breath.  
  
"Oh, without a doubt," Ron replied, pushing the doors to the Great Hall open. Harry and Ron walked straight to one end of the Gryffindor table and looked down. There were three distinct red balls, one by itself by the middle and the other two together at the end of the table. Ron pointed to the two red-heads at the end. "That's them!" Harry gave a nod as Ron led him towards to where the twins undoubtedly were. But, something was strange about them, they way they were acting.  
  
"Fred? George?" said Ron meekly, shaking the twins. George, who seemed to be leaning on Fred, fell of the bench. Harry looked down at the seventh year in surprise. George was snoring, and very loudly too. Harry peeked around to see how Fred would react, but he didn't react. Fred just slumped over, his face crashing into the food on his plate. Harry gave him a few pokes in the arm.  
  
"You think they're out good?" Harry asked nervously. He continued to prod Fred. Ron knelt down to where George had fallen. His brother was now sleeping very comfortably in a fetal position, sucking his thumb.  
  
"They must be exhausted," Ron said. "I mean, since they opened they're new stores, it's been a lot of work for them. And I heard them saying that they got at least several hundred orders this first week alone!" "Wonder what that's doing to their grades," Harry thought aloud.  
  
"Does it really matter now Harry?" Ron said a bit sarcastically. "I mean, let's just take the brooms. They won't mind as long as I don't ruin them." Harry rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his messy black hair. He gave his best friend a nod, and they were off to the lockers adjacent to the Quidditch pitch.  
  
"You know, you should be a better role model for your sister," Harry said hesitantly as he watched Ron pull out George's broom.  
  
"Yeah, Ron," said a voice full of contempt from behind the two of them. Startled, they looked around to see that the third red-head at the table, Ginny, had followed them all the way there.  
  
"Okay, Ginny, you take Fred's broom then," Harry said, throwing her the wooden pole with twigs attached to the end. Ron looked at Harry as if he were a lunatic.  
  
"Harry, you can't! You, you.....you just can't! I mean, it's stealing!" Ron stuttered.  
  
"And why is it stealing? I mean, you did it too!" Ginny said in a tone of voice that she had never used before. Clearly, she was fed up with being pushed around. "You set a very good example for me, big brother!"  
  
"Oh, she's got you there," Harry said, stepping aside. He didn't want to get in the middle of sibling rivalry.  
  
"Well, let's get on to the field then!" Ginny said smartly, pushing her tall brother aside. Ron watched her stomp off to the middle of the field, eyes wide open.  
  
"Can you believe her?" he said, not tearing his eyes as his sister took off into the air.  
  
"Well, yes. She does take a little bit after you, now, doesn't she?" And with that, Harry summoned his own Firebolt from his room and took flight as well, leaving Ron bewildered. Harry soared on his beloved broomstick to where Ginny was waiting. He felt home in the air, though he noticed that Ginny wasn't as much at ease as he was. She was wobbling a little bit, looking as if she would slide off her broom at any moment.  
  
"You okay there, Gin?" he called to her as she tried to steady herself. She blushed and nodded, trying to give a little smile.  
  
"Course she's alright! She's a Weasley!" Ron exclaimed as he met up with Harry and Ginny in the skies.  
  
"Well, then," Harry said, running his fingers through his hair again. Ginny sighed as she watched him and nearly fell off her broom. Ron caught her in the nick of time, and Harry covered his mouth, stifling a laugh. "Let's start with drills. Ron, you'll practice as Keeper, and Ginny, pretend to be a Chaser and try to score on him." Harry flew back towards the ground, retrieved the Quaffle, and threw it in the air.  
  
He watched as Ron and Ginny practiced a couple of times, then zoomed back up on his remarkably fast racing broom to give each of them a few tips. His two friends improved a good deal, and Harry watched with satisfaction, like a teacher watching his students. As he watched them in midair, something pelted him in the head. He rubbed his aching head, and looked in the direction that the object had flown in from. On the ground, he saw Hermione and Cassie, jumping up and down, trying to get his attention. Harry descended to the ground in front of the girls.  
  
"Harry! Harry!" Cassie said breathlessly, putting her hands on her knees. "News. Big news." And with that, the girl sat down right there on the field, still breathing heavily.  
  
"We ran all the way here," Hermione explained. "From Dumbledore's office."  
  
"What were you doing there?" asked Harry.  
  
"Well, remember the hair incident in Snape's class? Me and Cassie have been trying all week to get to the headmaster, but he's been so busy. But, he had some free time today to talk to us! We told him about Snape, and how mean he was, picking on Cassie, but then...."  
  
"He said Snape wasn't in class that day!" Cassie screamed from her sitting position. "Snape was with Dumbledore the whole time, having a conference of all things!"  
  
"Yes," Hermione picked up. "It seems that Snape and Dumbledore had sent Filch to watch over us. It was just supposed to be a study hall period."  
  
"Then, who was teaching us?!" Harry yelled in surprise. "I'm sure it wasn't Filch! Remember? He's a Squib! Nonmagic!"  
  
"Exactly. It wasn't him," Hermione tried to explain. "It wasn't Filch who was sent to watch us either. It was someone disguised as him...."  
  
"Polyjuice potion, then!"  
  
"I think it was, because..."  
  
Cassie interrupted again, finally getting up. "Because when we went to go find Filch with Dumbledore, he was gone! The only thing left was his little kitty......" Cassie grinned, then put her fingers to her lips. The little girl let out an unnaturally loud whistle. "Here, kitty! Here kitty, kitty!" Something in a little pink bonnet came out.  
  
Ron came in for a landing, followed closely by Ginny. "Harry, what's up? And, oh my lord.....is that?" The bonnet came closer, and Ron had recognized it right away. "Don't tell me that's...Mrs. Norris?!" Indeed it was. Mrs. Norris trotted right over to Cassie and jumped into her arms, purring. Ginny, curious as she was, joined Cassie and pettied the content cat.  
  
Ron and Harry turned their glance from Cassie to Hermione. Hermione just shook her head. "Filch just went missing, and that was the only thing he left behind. Dumbledore said it was very curious, but said not to worry. He would find a new janitor soon enough."  
  
"In the meanwhile, the kitty's mine!" Cassie squealed with glee.  
  
"Ugh, what have you got it in?" Ron asked in disgust.  
  
"I couldn't help it! I just had to give little Fluffykins something to keep her warm!" Cassie exclaimed, drawing the cat closer to her.  
  
"And a bonnet helps how?" replied Ron.  
  
"Don't know, Hermione gave it to me," Cassie said, babying Mrs. Norris.  
  
"Well, at least she left HER little devil at home," said Ron. Hermione narrowed her eyes dangerously in her usual manner.  
  
"Well, it wasn't my fault that Crookshanks could sense trouble! It was your rat that caused that whole mess!"  
  
"He wouldn't have if your stupid furrball would have kept away from him!"  
  
"Oh yes, he would, Ronald Weasley, and you don't want to admit it!"  
  
"Stop it already!" Harry intervened. They both had their hands in fists, ready to fight. Harry had stepped in between them. "Can't we all just get along?" Ron and Hermione turned their backs to each other.  
  
"Uh, Harry?" Cassie said. "What about the evil guy that is roaming the school grounds? What if he tries to get to someone else?" The full realization finally hit Harry. Some dangerous person was wandering around Hogwarts. And this powerful wizard could be tracking him down at this very moment.......... 


	10. Surprising New Tasks

Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Thanks to Jereni, and Meli, and Sauda, and Shenizzy, and Lunarian Amethyst! It makes me feel soooo loved.....teehee!! Laterz, bunnie :P  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing but Cassandra Takachi and the plot is mine. All of it belongs to that glorious genius, J.K. Rowling! If you don't know by now, then you're really lost......  
  
************************************************************************ Chapter 10  
  
Over the next few weeks, Harry found himself looking over his shoulder constantly and being frightened of every little thing......such as Cassie and Ginny. It may seem ridiculous for a boy of 15 to be scared of two little girls, but whenever he turned around, something tapped him on the shoulder, making him jump three feet in the air and whip out his wand, prepared for an attack. Yet, it would always be either Cassie or Ginny, giggling uncontrollably as Harry searched the hall for his would-be attacker.  
  
Harry was, of course, less than pleased with the hi-jinks of his two friends, but even less pleased that Ron and Hermione seemed to never be around to chastise the partners in crime. They were now caught up with loads of "Prefect business," as Hermione would always say. After every class, both she and Ron had to meet up with Professor McGonagall about something or other. The only time Harry got to see Ron was in the late afternoon, when he attempted to teach Ron how to be a Keeper. Otherwise, he was left with Cassie most of the day, and she was getting pretty annoying with all her dirty tricks that she played on him.  
  
There were some fun times with her, Harry had to admit. For instance, Cassie made it her job to play a trick on Malfoy at least once a week. One time, she put an exploding whoopee cushion (courtesy of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes) on his chair during Defense Against the Dark Arts. It exploded, sending Malfoy flying into Professor Brendaster, or rather through her. The phantom teacher didn't even notice as she continued to lecture about some magical creatures to look out for.  
  
It seemed that now three classes were working together, because Professor Brendaster was now teaching her classes about the Venus Fairies, the same fairies that were being grown in Herbology and cared for in Care of Magical Creatures. It turns out that if the wizard or witch doesn't take care of their fairy properly, the little buggers turn nasty and turn to playing tricks rather than granting wishes. The girls gasped in unison at this, as some of the boys plotted to disregard their fairies and see what happens. Much to the surprise of many, Cassie actually didn't want her fairy to play pranks, and paid apt attention in Care of Magical Creatures to find out how to prevent hers from going bad.  
  
Pretty soon, the first month of school came to a close, and the tryouts for a new Gryffindor Keeper for Quidditch was upon them. Harry had already announced the search for a new player a couple of weeks before, and stood prepared on the Quidditch pitch as several other students entered, carrying their own broomsticks. Harry sighed and processed down the long line, with a clipboard in hand.  
  
"Name? Year? House?" he asked the eager players. Harry thought the "year, house" part was unnecessary, just something McGonagall wanted him to do that was pointless. But, he was astonished to find several of the young people to be first years, and a couple of them not even belonging to his house. Harry dismissed them, and was left with roughly most of his own classmates. Written on his clipboard was: Ronald Weasley, Seamus Finnigan, Neville Longbottom, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, Colin Creevey and his little brother (A/N: Can anyone tell me his name? I forgot it, and I don't feel like looking it up...) and some others that he didn't know very well. Neville, Parvati, Lavender, and the Creevey Brothers were immediately ruled out. Neville was too haphazard on the broom, Parvati and Lavender were afraid of breaking nails, and said they only wanted to be on the team for Harry, and Colin and his brother would only take snapshots. They would have been good photographers, but were really bad at catching the Quaffle.  
  
Harry had narrowed it down to four people. Seamus was pretty good, as was Ron, thanks to those practice sessions with Harry. Then, there were two others that Harry didn't know, a 4th year girl and a 6th year boy. So, Harry sent Hermione, who was watching and waiting with Ginny and Cassie, to go fetch Angelina Johnson. She did and came back lickety split, and Harry had his Chaser try to score on each of the Keepers. Harry watched as they cycled through each person, but each one of them couldn't stop the speedy Angelina.  
  
In the stands, as said before, watched Hermione, Ginny, and Cassie. Since Ron had taken Fred's broomstick, Ginny decided to take George's with her as she watched. Hermione had binoculars and was staring up at the sky. She handed them to Cassie.  
  
"When do you think they'll be finished?" Hermione asked the other two girls. They just shook their heads as they squinted to see the miniature figures flying around.  
  
"Ron's not doing so well," Cassie said, handing the binoculars to Ginny.  
  
"Neither's my friend, Anna," Ginny said as she saw the fourth year girl miss the Quaffle several times. Ginny then directed the binoculars far away from the players.  
  
"What are you staring at, Gin?" Cassie said as she stared in the direction. Ginny seemed frozen on the spot as Cassie too saw what was coming. "DUCK!" she screamed, pulling down the other girls. Hermione felt a breeze as a Bludger rushed passed them.  
  
Hermione got back up. "I, I don't understand.... The Bludger's not supposed to do that!" Ginny still had the binoculars glued to her eyes. Suddenly, she threw them down, picked up the broomstick in front of her, and flew off. Hermione was still stuttering, "It's not even supposed to go out! And, I read in that Quidditch book that the bloody iron ball's supposed to be enchanted to stay away from the stands!"  
  
"Mione! Look!" Cassie said, pointing to the sky. Hermione watched on with awe, still reasoning out why the Bludger shouldn't have gone after them.  
  
Harry was still watching, as each of the Keepers failed against Angelina. Angelina soared over, not even breaking a sweat. "Should I go easier on them?" she asked, tossing him the Quaffle. Harry shook his head.  
  
"You can go now. Sorry to bother you!" he said sadly as he motioned for her leave. Angelina gave him a nod, and was about to sail down, when her eyes widened.  
  
She pointed to something behind Harry, stuttering something incoherent. "H-h-h......Bl-bludger!" she managed to get out as a whistling sound came to Harry's ear. He looked behind him as the Bludger came hurtling towards him, and was just about to get out of the way, when something red zoomed in front of him, receiving the full blow of the iron ball. It turned out to be a person, and the person turned around to reveal Ginny Weasley, struggling to hold on to the Bludger. Ginny was being pulled this way and that by the ball in her arms, and Angelina hurried to summon the chest that held the game balls to her. She, Harry, and Ginny wrestled the indignant ball back in its place while they were still in midair. Angelina then flew towards the stands to send Hermione on another errand.  
  
Harry marvelled at Ginny as she rubbed her arms. "How did you do that?" he asked, smiling. She grew bright red, and smiled down at her broomstick.  
  
"It was really nothing, nothing at all," said Ginny, as her brother and the others flew over. Ron pulled up right next to Ginny.  
  
He put his arm around her shoulders, asking with concern, "Are you sure you're alright? I mean, I would have thought that bloody would have killed you!" She moved away his arm and looked up at her brother, showing him eyes that said she was fine. Angelina flew back.  
  
"Should I go now?" she asked. Harry shook his head, a good idea popping into his head.  
  
"Ginny, go guard the goal posts, okay?" he said to the little red head. "Angelina," he said, turning to the older girl. "Don't go so easy on her. I want to see what she can do." He threw the Quaffle he was holding to Angelina as her face cracked into a wicked smile. Angelina tried over and over again to score on the youngest Weasley, but over and over again, she was unsuccessful. Ginny was just too fast.  
  
Angelina flew back panting. "My God, she's like Speedy Gonzales! She can catch anything I throw her!" Harry grinned, and flew to where a confused Ginny was waiting. He shook her hand.  
  
"Welcome to the team, Keeper!" he congratulated her. Ron's jaw dropped to the ground, but Ginny could only smile as she accepted the task.  
  
  
  
"What broomstick will you get?" Cassie asked excitedly as she and Ginny perused a catalog in the corner of the common room that night. She was so interested in the sport, and never had the chance to learn about it. Harry watched them for a short while from the other end of the room, while he was waiting for Ron to make his move in chess. Harry noticed Hermione was still missing, and hoped he was talking to Dumbledore about another attempt to take his life. Somehow, he was getting tired of worrying all the time though, and went back to concentrating on the game. He turned back around in his chair to watch Ron, who was scratching his chin as he was deciding what to do.  
  
"Hmm," Ron mused. He then quickly moved one of his pieces, a knight. "Checkmate," he announced. Harry ran his fingers through his hair and leaned back in his chair, accepting defeat.  
  
"So, what have you and Hermione been up to?" Harry said slyly as he set up his side of the chessboard again. Ron grew slightly red.  
  
"Nothing.....just Prefect business...." he replied shiftily.  
  
"Ah, come now. You can tell me what's been going on between you two!"  
  
"Nothing, Harry!"  
  
"Are you sure about that?"  
  
"Fine! You really want to know?" Ron motioned for Harry to lean in. He whispered, covering his mouth with one hand, "We're having a Christmas Pageant."  
  
"A what?!" Harry said loudly. Ron got a horrified look on his face and gestured for Harry to be quiet and listen again.  
  
"McGonagall and the other teachers want to impress the parents and convince them that we're safer here," he whispered.  
  
"And just how is a Christmas Pageant going to accomplish that?"  
  
"Don't ask me! I was against it! But, Mione was all for it....She and I were assigned to be directors."  
  
Harry smiled a little bit. But then, a horrifying thought occurred to him. He stated to Ron, "You're not going to make me be in it, are you?!" Ron grimaced, and nodded slowly. "Ron!" Harry said harshly, ready to slap his best friend.  
  
"Well, I tried to get you the smallest part. You're just going to raise and lower the curtains, okay?" Harry rolled his eyes, and agreed to do it. At least he didn't have to actually play an onstage part.  
  
  
  
Harry was also lucked out the next school day. As he was eating breakfast, Cho Chang came over to talk to him. He was just munching on some cereal when she strolled over.  
  
"Harry?" she said. Harry looked up and was taken aback to see her there. "Harry? You're doing the curtains for the Pageant, right? Well, I'm the writer, so I need to confer with you an when to open and close them." With that, she plopped down right next to him. She gave him a smile that absolutely made him melt inside. He heart beat faster and there was a distinct roaring in his ears as Cho jabbered on about "curtains this" and "curtains that". But, she seemed much happier that usual. Harry didn't care though, as he was just excited to have her near him.  
  
"Thanks for your time Harry," she said with a wink. She got up from the bench. "Oh, and thanks for being so nice to my little cousin!" Then, Cho was gone, just like that. Harry blinked a few times, and ran his fingers through his hair again, heaving a huge sigh. Cassie interrupted his thoughts.  
  
"I think my cousin has a soft spot for you," Cassie said as she pointed out Cho. Harry saw that she was stealing glances at him every now and then. Cassie looked down at her own bowl, then to the Slytherin table across the Great Hall. She smiled an evil smile, which made Harry suspicious. He was beginning to actually feel sorry for Malfoy, who was the butt of all of Cassie's jokes. Harry got up, intending to go tell Malfoy that there may just be something amiss, when he felt something pulling him back.  
  
"Don't!" Cassie pleaded. She continued to tug on his arm. Harry noticed she was freakishly strong for her size, and sat back down. He gave her a menacing look, and she winced. "I'm sorry.....I know that what I'm doing is mean, and I won't do it anymore...."  
  
"Well, what about now?"  
  
"Oh, Harry, it's just one more trick! No big deal!" Harry, worried, looked back to the Slytherin table at Malfoy, who was just eating cereal like he was. He watched as Malfoy lifted a spoon to his mouth, when something hopped out of the bowl. He watched as that something shook itself a little bit, and saw Malfoy's face distort in disgust. And he watched as the something, which looked remarkably like a frog, hopped onto Malfoy and kissed him right on the lips.  
  
"ARRGH! GET IT OFF ME!!!" was heard throughout the hall. There was a "poof!" and a cloud of smoke, and suddenly, Malfoy was lying on the ground, being squished by a huge, beautiful girl in a tiara.  
  
"iAy dios mio! iGracias! iGracias, Senor!" squealed the princess. "iOh! iTu eres muy guapo!" she said, kissing him on the face over and over again.  
  
"What did she say?" Harry asked. "I believe she said, 'Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you, mister! Oh! You are very handsome!'" Cassie replied very matter-of-factly.  
  
Harry turned to face Cassie. "Where did you find that, that thing?!"  
  
"This pond in the forest......I knew something was wrong with it when I heard it speaking Spanish instead of saying, 'Ribbit!'"  
  
Malfoy managed to get the large royal off him and marched over to Cassie, who was trying to explain herself to Harry. A fire blazing in his eyes, he took Cassie by the scruff of the neck. "Why? Why did you do that? I'm gonna knock your pretty face in!" He raised a fist to the frightened Japanese transfer as she cringed when Professor Dumbledore intervened.  
  
"No fighting, you two," he said calmly. Malfoy lowered Cassie. "I think I know what's happened...." The Headmaster turned to the Spanish- speaking princess, who had followed Malfoy. "What is your name?"  
  
"Que?" she said, confused.  
  
"Oh, excuse me. Cual es tu nombre?"  
  
"Yo soy Ines Vargas! Soy una princesa de espana!"  
  
"Ah, a princess of Spain? She must be that one lost a long time ago....Oh well, she may stay here for now." Dumbledore then turned to Cassie, Harry, and Malfoy, who were still standing there, bickering. "Harry, I assume you have nothing to do with this?"  
  
"No sir," he replied.  
  
"Ah, then. Miss Takachi, you have committed a great offense by bringing this magical frog in. And Mister Malfoy, I'm afraid you almost took out this dear girl. So, I must give you two several detentions. Be happy that you two weren't expelled." Dumbledore turned to walk away, and Harry noticed how tired he looked lately. Suddenly, he was stopped by Hermione.  
  
"Ah, Miss Granger," he said wearily. "How may I help you?"  
  
"Dumbledore, sir, it would be much easier if Cassie and Malfoy were made to be in our Pageant, because we are short some people..."  
  
"Very well then, they will be in the Pageant instead of detentions. Bye for now." Dumbledore scuttled off to the teachers table to reside over the student body once more.  
  
"Pageant? What Pageant?" Malfoy asked.  
  
Hermione grinned. "Our Christmas Pageant, of course! First practice is in two weeks. See you there!" Malfoy left grumbling about that "stupid Muggle tradition" as Princess Ines followed, bursting with joy.  
  
"iTe quiero, mi amor!" she remarked every five seconds.  
  
"What was that about?" Ron asked from his seat. He had just watched the whole scene.  
  
"Oh nothing. Malfoy just has a new girlfriend that loves him very much!" Cassie bursted with laughter. 


	11. Something Amiss

Thanks everyone for reviewing!! Jereni, I think I sort of understood your review...hehhe.......Quicksilver Fallen, I know that the pranks are getting a little tiring, that's why I said in the last chapter that Cassie would restrain from her tricks.....  
  
AN: Sorry that this chapter is coming sooo late! I had finals the past week, plus a major case of writer's block as well.....And I also apologize for having the Christmas Pageant soo late as well....I had it all planned out so that I could post it on Christmas, but school interfered.....oh well, hope you enjoy it anyway!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter isn't mine......yet.......*cackles evilly*  
  
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Chapter 11  
  
The next couple of months were hectic, to say the least. Harry now had to go to Quidditch practice, show up for rehearsal for the Christmas Pageant, and tolerate Hermione nagging him to study for the OWLs ("They're in nearly 6 months! You simply must start getting ready!"). Harry was too tired to worry about a potential stalker. Besides, it seemed that whoever the person was had at least stopped for the festive Christmas season.  
  
And Cassie was actually helping. True to her word, she did stop pulling pranks. But, something was different about her. Harry kept staring in bewilderment as she actually paid attention in class. No longer did she run around, laying destruction in her path.  
  
She seemed to keep to her books lately as well. Harry noticed her carrying funny books everywhere. To one Quidditch game, she brought some novel about a princess. To another, she brought a scientific textbook about gemstones. Cassie never read her usual Japanese comics anymore. Harry guessed that she had switched into serious school girl mode. He was only grateful that her turning into a bookworm meant she couldn't interfere with their first couple of victories (Ginny was proving to be one of the most excellent Keepers in the history of Gryffindor House).  
  
But something else was different about that girl. The Boy Who Lived sensed something as wrong with her. The way she carried herself, her sudden quietness, the way she would avoid the glance of anyone around her. Something was definitely up.  
  
He tried to ignore it during the first practice for the Pageant, the first Saturday in November.  
  
"Okay, people!" Hermione yelled through her Muggle megaphone. "Time to choose parts for the Pageant! Let's see..." She nodded to a group of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years from all the Houses. "We've already got our shepherds, farm animals, and three wise men....."  
  
Cho stood in a corner surrounded by a load of admiring volunteers from the upper classes of the 5th, 6th and 7th years. The pretty girl nodded to Hermione. The prefect continued, "And we've got the chorus all set....." Hermione scratched her chin.  
  
"Ah, yes.....now we need the main roles. Who's left?" Cassie threw down her book and acted like her normal self, hopping from foot to foot and waving her arm wildly in the air. Harry watched from the newly installed curtains, glad that she was back to normal, for now.  
  
Ginny poked Hermione in the back. Whispering, she said, "Well, there's me, you, Ron, Cassie, and Mr. Loner over there...." The little red head was motioning towards the corner of the Great Hall, where they were practicing. There, Draco rested casually against the wall, his new found stalker bustling about, chattering rapidly in Spanish. Hermione nodded again.  
  
Then, the 5th year Gryffindor gave a whistle. Ron, who was hanging out with Harry by the curtains, jogged over. "What's the matter?"  
  
"Turn around and bend over," Hermione said.  
  
"Gee, dirty mouth Mione," Ron replied with a smirk.  
  
"That is certainly not what I meant!" she quipped, growing red. "All the tables were put away for the practice, so I have nothing to write on! So, I need to use your back as a hard surface." She frowned and squinted her eyes dangerously as Ron obeyed. Hermione whipped out her parchment and quill, and began scratching away on the paper.  
  
"D' ya have to write so hard?" Ron complained. "I can feel it through my robes!"  
  
"Well, that's what you get!" And she pressed into the parchement harder, causing Ron to wince a little bit. "Done!" she announced a few minutes later.  
  
Everyone waited in anticipation as she read out the leading roles that no one wanted to take. "Ginny, you'll be Mary." Ginny smiled broadly. "Draco, you're Joseph." Immediately, the smile on Ginny's face melted.  
  
"Why can't I be a stupid shepherd or something?" he complained.  
  
"Well, duh. Those roles are already filled," Hermione said, waving away the actors. "Besides, you have no lines anyway. All you have to do is sit next to the manger and look holy."  
  
"Fat chance that'll be," Ron remarked. "I mean, Malfoy, a holy person...." Draco raised a fist at the same time Ron got ready to defend himself.  
  
"Stop it, boys, or I'm placing binding spells on the both of you!"  
  
"Granger, you're really gonna pay someday for this," Draco said sullenly, lowering his fist.  
  
"Okay then, Cassie?" Cassie, who had gone back to reading a book about fairies, snapped her head up.  
  
"Yeah?" she said with a small grin.  
  
"You're the angel."  
  
"But, I want to be an angel!" a couple of young girls yelled from the group of animals.  
  
"Fine," Hermione said, rubbing her head exasperatedly. "Any girl from the shepherds and animals can be an angel......  
  
"Why can't a boy be an angel? It's discrimination!" whined one of the three wise men.  
  
"Because, all the boys have to be either shepherds or wise men. Case closed."  
  
Some people groaned as the excited, new angels ran up to Hermione to ask what they should do. "Stand there and look pretty. That's it. But since Cassie is the Head Angel...." Cassie smiled just as broadly as Ginny had done when she had found out she was Mary. "Cassie will have a few lines at the end of the play."  
  
Draco fumed. "But why does she get lies, but I don't? She's just a stinkin' angel!"  
  
Hermione's head was really beginning to ache. "Because her lines will close the play....end it on a nice note."  
  
"I've got a great idea, Miss Director!" Cho yelled from her corner.  
  
Hermione sighed. "Yes, Music Director...."  
  
"Instead of a few lines, Cassie should just sing "Silent Night" as a solo...." Cassie looked at Cho, who was grinning mischievously, to Hermione, and began to shake her head vigorously. Harry looked on, and recognized that conniving look on Cho as belonging to Cassie once.  
  
Hermione's eyes lit up. "Can you really do that Cassie? It would be a fabulous ending to our play!" Cassie was still shaking her head, her eyes as wide and round as huge, purple plates.  
  
Cho narrowed her own beautiful eyes. "Oh yes she can.....I've heard her in all the karaoke bars we've been to back home. She's the best singer I know." Cassie started waving her hands, mouthing the words, 'No, she's lying!'  
  
Hermione ignored, and clapped her hands, saying, "Well, it's all settled then. We have a Mary, Joseph, and an angel that will close out the play with a stupendous song." Someone tugged on her sleeve again.  
  
"What about us, Mione?" Ron said, a confused look on his face.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, Ron. We'll just be the narrators."  
  
Ron got a worried look on his face. "Do we have to memorize stuff?"  
  
Hermione sighed again. "No, we just read off the script. You alright with that?" Ron grinned and gave his okay.  
  
Cassie had become subdued again, from Harry's point of view. She sat by herself in the middle of the floor, staring off into space, with a glum look on her face. What is wrong with her?, he thought to himself as he looked on in curiosity. But somehow, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was just so pretty when she was calm and sad. Like a picture of a model, deep in her own thoughts.....  
  
"Harry?" Hermione said, startling him from his reverie.  
  
"Oh, sorry, Mione..." she said, rubbing his eyes a little bit.  
  
"Oh, don't worry about it," she said, looking extremely sly at the moment. Teehee, Hermione was thinking to herself. I think he has a crush...... "Oh, I was just here to tell you that you're in charge of keeping Cassie in the air."  
  
"What?!" he said. "With a spell or something? Isn't that dangerous?!"  
  
"Hehe, I'm afraid we have to resort to a rope. That levitating charm won't be able to keep her floating, no matter how light she is. 'Wingardium leviousa' is just for small objects anyway."  
  
"Oh, I see....."  
  
"During the play, she will sit in the rafters up there...." Hermione pointed upwards at the beams that seemed to float under the clear blue sky. "When I signal to you and her, she will push herself off, and you must support her, so that she doesn't go 'splat' on the ground..."  
  
"Won't the audience see the rope?"  
  
"It will be charmed so that it is transparent, okay?"  
  
Harry nodded, running his fingers through his messy black hair. "And what about the audience? Who exactly is going to see this?" Hermione smiled. "We've invited parents, past alumnae, retired teachers......"  
  
"Ah, a play to impress potential benefactors I see...."  
  
"Yup." Hermione winked and skipped off to the middle of the room. Everyone was already chatting, and Draco was trying to keep his Spanish princess off him. She took out her megaphone again. "Next practice is in a week!" she announced.  
  
The whole cast cheered and rushed out. Hermione, Ron, and Harry brought up the rear of the crowd pushing their way through the doors of the Great Hall. Someone pulled on Harry's shoulder right before they were out.  
  
"We'll coordinate the lights and curtains and all the rest next time, kay Harry?" Cho said cheerily. She gave him a wink and continued out with the others.  
  
"Harry's got a girlfriend!" Ron chanted, before Hermione slapped him in the chest. Harry turned bright red, something he usually didn't do. He knew that Cho wasn't really interested.....or was she?  
  
All of a sudden, he saw Cho rush back inside. Still alone, and now in the darkness of a corner, sat Cassie. Harry stopped in the middle of the doorway.  
  
He now knew something really was wrong with Cassie. From far away, he could tell she was shaking, hugging her shoulders and rocking back and forth. Cho walked up to her and put her arm around her little cousin's shoulders.  
  
Cassie mumbled something, then covered her face with her hands. Harry, who knew it wasn't right to interfere, turned around to walk out, but just couldn't bring himself to it. He wanted to know what was wrong. So, he hid behind the large door, every now and then peeking around to catch a glimpse of the two pretty girls talking. Suddenly, he heard voices and footsteps, and they got louder and louder. Harry pressed himself against the wall, sandwiched between it and the door.  
  
The voices became loud enough to hear as Cassie and Cho emerged out of the Great Hall. Cho was still hugging her cousin, trying to tell her it was all right.  
  
"He won't bother you anymore...." Cho said, soothing the little shivering girl. Cassie shook her head and buried her face in her hands again. Cho stared at the ground, still grasping Cassie by the shoulders.  
  
Harry wanted to do something, but didn't want them to find out he had been spying on them. He hoped they didn't see him in his hiding place.....  
  
Cho's face lit up. She snatched something from her blouse pocket, then reached into Cassie's for something else. The objects ended up being two, seemingly ordinary looking pens. One was dark purple, red, and blue, topped with a star with some kind of zodiac symbol on it. The other was pale purple, pink, and blue, topped instead with a crescent moon halfway encircling a star.  
  
Cassie stopped sobbing and looked confusedly at Cho. "You remember what these are for?" Cho asked.  
  
"But, Cho-chan! Those are only for emergencies!"  
  
"Little Cassie, I know that! But is this not an emergency?"  
  
"I know..." Cassie replied, looking at the ground. "I don't know if I can use mine properly yet..."  
  
"Nonsense, you've had plenty of training. You're the best martial artist in the family!"  
  
"No, I'm not. That's you, remember?"  
  
"You almost did beat me that one time though, didn't you Cassie?" Cho smiled as Cassie's face brightened slightly. "Now, take care of yourself! And don't worry, Cassie-chan.....if you can't protect yourself, you have plenty of wonderful friends to take care of you..." She winked, and hooked her arm into the crook of Cassie's arm. They skipped off happily.  
  
Harry emerged from his hideout, bewildered. Cassie could fight? Cho could too? And those pens....they looked strangely familiar..... 


End file.
